The Sea Dragon
by QueenAzula
Summary: The legend of the Sea Dragon speaks of a woman destined to bring peace to the four Nations through balance. The last person anyone would expect steps up to do the job. Along the way, she finds healing, love, friendship and adventure.
1. Chapter 1

Ch 1: The Imposter

Azula shivered in the dark, trying to ascertain her location and how she got there. Suddenly a chill ran down her spine as a voice reached her ears.

"You are in the dragonbone catacombs, princess Azula" The voice was serpentine and harsh, hissing out the words through raspy breaths.

Suddenly the torches began to light one by one along the stone walls of the catacombs. Lighting the murals which depicted the story of the Kemurikage spirits. The very same spirits she had been impersonating before she'd disappeared two years before.

Azula shot up, looking for the source of the voice but found nothing but the pictures on the walls. She looked up at the mural, running her hands across the cool stone, following the storyline.

She reached the end panel, there was an unlit torch, she narrowed her eyes and sent a spark to the torch but it would not light. She huffed and walked closer, gasping when she stepped into the dark and saw them…

"The Kemurikage…..N...no" She breathed as the figures glided around her at an inhuman pace.

"Yo...you're not real," She said pressing her body against the cold wall and away from the spirits.

"You are the imposter here" The voice hissed, it was coming from one of the Kemurikage.

"You have impersonated us and now you must pay your penance," They said as she sent sparks of lighting at them in vain as it went through the spectors and caused no harm.

"I've been haunted by worse things than you! If you're going to kill me….DO IT! " She ground out through gritted teeth.

"Now now, they didn't come all the way from the spirit world for that," a familiar voice said as a familiar figure walked toward her.

"Uncle Iroh?!" She gasped, eyes wide.

"Hello Azula," He said softly before giving her a hug. It was the sort of hug she'd longed for since she was a child, though she only stiffened at the contact.

"Azula, my friends from the spirit world have agreed to spare your life if you pay them penance," He said looking at his niece seriously.

"You're not real, I'm clearly hallucinating or having a nightmare" She spat, crossing her arms.

"I'll wake up soon enough" She added.

Suddenly she was thrown back several meters, a Kemurikage spirit standing over her menacingly as she rubbed her shoulder, where she landed and coughed roughly as the air returned to her lungs.

"You impersonated us, terrorized children and tried to harm your own brother. Your ancestors have done much harm to the balance of the Earth and it stops with you. The heavenly spirits have shown us your true destiny and we will allow you to fulfill it, however, you will pay your penance first" The spirit said forcefully.

"You will pay your penance or you will come to the spirit realm and you will not have as pleasant an experience as you may think. You will have many lessons to learn in this life yet and you must learn them in the harshest of ways if you do not pay your penance" The voice was even more menacing.

She noted that her uncle was next to her now.

"You must listen Azula. Your parents failed you and I'm sorry for that and you never let me get through to you, I am sorry I did not try harder but I will try now" He said solemnly looking in her eyes with conviction.

"What do you want?" She was angry, her eyes wild.

"Azula, you will help your brother defeat your father and bring peace to the United Republic" The old man stated

"I will not, besides father is in prison" She hissed.

"No, Azula. Your father was broken out of prison last night. He was taken by a group known as the Phoenix King's Guard. They mean to put Ozai in power again by using an energy vortex provided by an approaching comet to restore his bending. They say that the comet may give him powers that rival the Aang's. This comet only comes to Earth every thousand years and will be ten times more powerful than the comet known as Sozin's Comet. You will finish healing your wounds child and you will help your brother and the Avatar bring peace" Another voice had spoken. It came from the shadows. It was serious.

Azula looked up in shock as she met the eyes of someone she'd only seen in paintings.

"Gre..great-grandfather So...Sozin" She breathed, sliding up the rock wall. She stood but felt her knees weaken in awe.

"You will not follow in my footsteps on Earth, you will heal your inner wounds and help herald in peace and the safety of the United Republic. You will stop your father and his followers, they are aided by an ancient spirit called Kaitsu, he is even older than Koh. Kaitsu was imprisoned by an avatar many lifetimes ago and wants to help stop the next incarnation. He was the one who informed your father and his followers about the comet. During the last visit from the comet, the Earth was set out of balance by a catastrophic event, the early Earth benders were almost wiped out" He said forcefully as she looked on in shock.

He reached out and took her hand roughly. Suddenly she found herself in a green clearing surrounded by forest on all sides, she glowed blue.

The spirits surrounded her, it was a dark night but she was bathed in moonlight in the spirit realm.

"The…..spirit realm" She whispered.

"Yes Azula, when you fully heal your mind and soul, you will be able to come here at will, just like me" Her uncle Iroh's spirit chuckled.

She had tried to reach this place many times during her treatment on Turtle Island. She'd checked herself into treatment of her own accord just after disappearing from Zuko.

The asylum Zuko sent her to was a horrible place. Guards took liberties touching her body though that stopped early on when she sent one to the grave when he took his touching too far. It was a place where she had been neglected and tortured.

She was told of a place called Turtle Island by her grandmother Ilah in a dream. She followed the instructions given by the spirit in dream time and found the giant lion turtle. There she found Guru Pathik already waiting for her. He said that he was meant to help her. There were a few benders from all of the nations seeking treatment for mental illness from a Guru Pathik and his assistants, gifted spiritual healers.

She had stayed for two years and then had been released and proclaimed healed by the guru and his assistants after a rigorous trial. When she was out, she didn't know where to go so she headed home. One moment she was in the family graveyard about to fall asleep at her grandmother's grave and suddenly she found herself in the catacombs ... and now she was in the spirit realm.

Her treatment with Guru Pathik included meditation and spiritual therapy and though she was able to do some very good healing work on herself, including different modes of meditation, opening and attuning her chakras and yoga, she had never been able to reach the spirit realm.

She had always hoped to speak to her grandmother, Azulon's wife who had taken care of Azula and doted on her as a child. Ilah was a beautiful and good woman. She believed that each person had an equal amount of good and evil inside therefore she tried to instill love and compassion into Azula's heart and it had worked. However, her early death deterred her efforts and Ozai's insistence to have Azula near to him and Ursa 's fear of the child allowed the darkness in her to take over.

Ilah was the reason Iroh had been such a balanced man, even Ozai was able to let his light side shine more often when she was alive, however, her death sent him on a spiral into darkness, one he was never able to return from. He had spent a week locked in his room after his mother's death, even Ursa was not allowed in his chambers while he mourned his beloved mother.

Ilah also kept her husband Azulon in the light, however, he too succumbed to darkness when his beloved died of a plague she'd contracted after visiting an orphanage. She had been the only person Azulon had ever truly loved. Though he did love Azula, she was almost a replica of him in the female form, their baby paintings were indistinguishable. It was his love for Azula that made him choose Zuko as a sacrifice for Ozai's punishment.

Azula's mind returned from its wanderings and suddenly she felt so tranquil in that moment, in the spirit realm, the voices that once haunted her were gone and she could think clearly. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of tranquillity provided by the spirit realm.

"Why do you still linger on thoughts of conquest? You're so used to them, aren't you? You have moved past it spiritually, now it's time for your mind to catch up" One voice spoke as she looked up at the moon, she could feel the peace radiating from it.

"I...it was supposed to be my destiny" She responded softly.

"No…..it was the destiny your father wanted for you, my foolish second son never outgrew his darkness. My little love, your destiny is much bigger than conquest, it is to preserve the peace and help save the avatar" Azula's eyes shot open as she looked on in awe at the beautiful face she'd only remembered from paintings but she knew it was the younger face of her beloved granny whom she knew very well.

"Gran...Granny" She breathed.

"Hello, my beautiful child" Ilah hugged her granddaughter's spirit and held her. Azula held her grandmother and sobbed harshly while holding the woman.

"Granny I...I...mi...missed you so much...I...I was so sad when you left us" She was sobbing while her grandmother stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.

Azula sighed softly into her grandmother's shoulder and furrowed her brows as she noted a necklace around her grandmother's neck.

She looked into the woman's eyes and suddenly her memory triggered a thought.

"You...you had blue eyes…..crystal blue….I remember" Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at the woman. Realization washed over her.

"The….water tribe….are you from the water tribe?" She breathed.

"Yes my child, I was from the Northern Water Tribe, I was a princess. Azulon, your grandfather came to our kingdom on a raid and was injured. I found him while I was out hunting with my brother. He was so handsome and very hurt so I healed and saved him. While I nursed him back to health in secret, we fell in love and I ran away to the fire nation with him. He was a prince and I a princess, therefore, we were allowed to marry and that is why the fire nation stayed out of the North for so long. However, I was forced to assimilate into the fire nation, leaving my heritage behind. Even my own children did not know of my origins and each time I gave birth I prayed that they would be firebenders as I was warned that any water bending children would be thrown into the sea by Sozin. When my daughter was born, between your uncle Iroh and your father, she opened her crystal blue eyes and I was so afraid. She was so tiny and so helpless, she was a waterbender I could feel it and so could the fire sages. Your great-grandfather ordered her thrown into the sea. Thankfully one of my nursemaids and her husband who was one of the most trusted royal guards risked their lives and faked throwing her into the sea. Instead they took her from the palace and gave her to my brother who had no children and so my daughter Yulah went on to be wed to Arnook who became chief of the Northern Water Tribe." Ilah smiled down at her granddaughter as the girl examined her necklace.

"Your grandfather Azulon carved it for me when he asked me to marry him, he was young and we were so in love, he asked my brother for help since he didn't understand the custom. He was so kind and loving as a husband." Ilah looked up at the moon with a smile.

"My beautiful grandchildren" Ilah whispered.

"Your cousin is the moon spirit, Azula" She added.

" I did not know when I visited the Northern water tribe that I had come face to face with my own sister and my niece, the moon spirit." Iroh added softly. Azula noted that she'd forgotten her uncle was with her.

"Wha…?" Azula did not know of princess Yue or of how her brother had visited the Northern Water Tribes but it was a story for another time.

"I'm sorry I failed you Azula, I wanted to help you, just like Zuko but I failed. Now I will help you undo the damage your father has done to you." Iroh spoke softly, smiling at his mother

Azula's thoughts took her to a memory of her father holding her as a toddler. He was not gentle or caring, he held her as if she were an object and spoke to her with force.

"You are strong, you will be a leader and a conqueror. You will not let love weaken you" He bit out in her memory.

She shook her head remembering how her father used to treat her after her grandmother Ilah died, he instilled fear in her and it hardened her from the time she was small, he taught her to reject her mother's affection and to compete with her brother, to terrorize others with fear.

"He was wrong to do this to you Azula. I am sorry I was not there. I am sorry my son hurt you. I love you Azula" Her grandmother hugged her and then began to fade away.

"I must return to your grandfather now Azula, we will meet again. Be strong and fight the darkness" Azula reached out as her grandmother's spirit faded.

"N...no nooo!" She panicked but suddenly she was floating in a pond on her back, the water was soothing, silvery and cool.

She noted the water rippled, her gaze lifted and she saw a girl, she was young, her hair was white, she had dark skin and Azula noted that she and the girl had the same smile. The girl was dressed like a waterbender but she was clearly a spirit.

"Who are you?" She asked in awe, noting the relaxation in her voice though she felt as though it should come out more forcefully.

"I'm Yue, I am the moon, we are cousins. Ilah and Azulon were also my grandparents" The woman smiled.

"Hmp" Azula huffed noting the strange feeling going through her body.

"You feel it don't you?" The girl said smiling

"Feel what?" Azula was surprised at how tranquil she felt.

"The fear, it's leaving you, draining into the pool. All of the madness, fear, and anguish your father gave you is draining from you. The moon is healing you. You have healed your mind but the latent energy remains, now it is being drained." The spirit smiled at the princess.

"You're a child of the sun and the moon. The legends say that the first spirits of the moon and the sun were in love and that the other spirits were so jealous of their love that they were separated. Then the ocean and moon spirits went to the Earthly realm so that the moon could see her beloved's shine each day, like our grandparents…..grandmother went to the Fire Nation, Sun and Moon together as they always have been. You are a gift from the moon to the sun. You are being healed because you have a part to play in the union of the sun and the moon on Earth, again, it is in you. You and the avatar will save the United Republic" Her smile was soft and loving.

"Hmmp" Azula raised an eyebrow noting the feelings of bliss she felt, her body felt so good, too good to be concerned with the words of the spirit woman.

"You will see, your heart will open now that the fear is gone. You are made of love, remember your heart chakra lesson with the guru" She smiled at Azula.

The princess did not register the words, she was too busy drinking in the feelings of tranquility as the pain and fear oozed out of her.

"You will feel more and more tranquil as the days go by Azula, as your heart opens. If you ever feel lost or afraid come and find me in the sky. I love you my cousin, the girl with my smile" Yue kissed Azula's forehead and she was gone.

Azula felt herself floating in the air and slowly drift down, soon there was grass under her. She sat up and crossed her legs.

Suddenly her uncle was in front of her. "Azula, you have a large part to play in keeping the peace and strengthening the United Republic" He looked on at her, she was tranquil and her soul was already healing.

"You will need to help protect your brother and the water benders, they are our people too," He said as Azula looked on at him.

"My grandfather, your great-grandfather sought out to kill all of the airbenders in order to stop the avatar and another, similar plot is brewing. They are planning to break the cycle by eliminating the water tribes and then killing Ang while he is in the avatar state. They are also planning on killing Zuko in order to take full control of the fire nation " Iroh studied his niece to gauge her reaction.

"And why should I care?...I mean they won't succeed so I don't need to worry about it. " She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned noting a slight pang in her chest as she let the words out. It had been like a reflex for her, reacting that way but she was changing. She remembered her trial with the guru and relaxed letting the love flow in and the fear flow out.

"I…." She felt so strange, she did care. She felt strange when she thought of the water benders being killed.

"I….I feel so sad" She said wiping her eyes.

"I don't want them to die...gr….granny's people….." She breathed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"That is compassion, given to you by the moon and accepted by you due to all of your hard work and training with the guru," Iroh said gently.

"This…..I …...I am not weak for letting love in" She whispered as tears rolled down her eyes. Repeating the words that her guru had said to her over and over.

"Yes Azula, love makes you stronger than you ever have been" He said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Let the emotions in" he said softly.

She nodded and clutched her chest. Breathing steadily after a few moments.

"Now now, I know I have taught you to let your emotions in" A familiar voice called out chuckling.

"Gu...guru" She said looking up at the man who helped her heal.

"Welcome to the spirit realm Azula, I am happy to see you here. You are now ready to fulfill your destiny" He said softly.

"You are a good person inside, you love your brother and you will fulfill your destiny" He added.

She nodded "I never wanted to hurt him. He….after granny died and grandfather too and mother left, he was all I had...But….but I had to be better than him...fa...father said...He said love was weakness." She cried as she let the tears roll down her cheeks, sniffling and sobbing.

"I'm sorry" She cried, it was not like her to apologize but the emotions that flooded her were strong and she didn't have the voices brought on by the pressure and anxiety.

"You are already healing," Iroh said comforting his niece.

"We must return to the realm of the living now Azula and you must go to Zuko and ask for forgiveness" He was watching her as she looked up at him from the ground

"Do not worry Azula, I will see you again soon, remember, do not let your mind become stormy again, accept the tranquility" and with that the Guru was gone.

"He'll never forgive me, he'll throw me in the cell father escaped from" She whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"No, Azula, I have already spoken to him, he loves you no matter how much you try and push him away. Come on now, it's time to return" Iroh took her hand and suddenly she was back in the catacombs.

She woke quickly as the embers from the torch above her singed her clothing, the smoke hit her nostrils.

She rose slowly, holding her head in her hands. "That had to be a dream" She muttered holding her head.

She was pulled out of her daze by a hissy breath coming from the darkened corner where the last mural panel stood.

"Fine, we'll go see Zuzu and pay penance," She said raising an eyebrow at the spirits depicted on the panel.

She squinted as she looked across the tunnel to the opposite wall, there were no torches on that side. She picked up one of the torches and looked on ins awe as she followed the storyline on the mural.

"Not a dream" She quipped to herself as she reached the end of the mural.

"Interesting isn't it" Azula turned around and froze as her uncle brought her in for a hug.

"You see this mural tells the story of the Sea Dragon, born of the sun and the moon. It is said that she would take the form of a woman who could bend both water and fire" He motioned to her.

"That can't be me, I wouldn't know the first thing about water bending, besides. Wouldn't that have been my aunt Yulah, her mother was the moon and father sun" Azula looked on at the panels in awe.

"No Azula, look at the panel, the Sea Dragon has yellow eyes. Yula and Yue had blue eyes. You are the first female from the line of Ilah and Azulon with yellow eyes. See the blue dragon learns fire first and the fire is blue like water then she learns water" His smile was soft as she realized what this meant.

"Here, this belonged to my mother, your granny. I found this in a box of her things, it was carved by your grandfather Azulon, for whom you are named. Granny wants you to have it." He handed Azula a necklace with their water tribe family insignia on it. She noted that it looked like the one Yue wore. It was the sign of their shared matrilineal heritage.

Azula and Iroh made their way through the secret chambers to the castle, she noted they were the ones she'd used as a child to escape to the cemetery. Her secret place, she would cry for Ilah and often fall asleep on the grave.

"Hmp, still no guards" She huffed noting her brother's lack of security in the most vulnerable areas in the palace.

"No wonder they were able to free father" She huffed before being led by her uncle to the area where the Kyoshi warriors were.

"Iroh," One of the painted women said.

"Hello Ming Xiu, the princess has returned home from exile" Iroh smiled as the woman nodded and went to inform the rest of the guards.

"My princess, Hanako will be your personal guard," another Kyoshi warrior said as she presented a woman to Azula.

"Do you bend?" Azula asked cooly.

"Yes my princess, I bend Earth," She said proudly.

"Good, be sure to have my gowns pressed and left ready for the morning. I'll see you in the morning uncle" She said as she stalked away in the direction of her brother's room.

"Bu…" The Kyoshi warrior started.

"Thank you, Hanako" Azula cut her off with a sweet smile and words of thanks. The girl huffed and made her way to Azula's bedroom to fetch her gowns.

"Now to find Zuzu" she whispered with a smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Kingdom?

Azula threw open the heavy doors of her brother's room to find Ty Lee bouncing on top of her brother as he thrust up into her roughly and griped one of her breasts in his hand.

"OHHHH ZUUUUUZUUUUUU!" Azula called playfully, starling him and causing Ty Lee to scream.

"AZULA GET OUT!" He roared noticing his sister and throwing Ty Lee off of him, covering himself with a pillow.

"Really Zuzu, you should try and find a wife instead of fucking your guards, you'll end up dead or with a bunch of bastards running around…. I honestly don't know which is worse," She said crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

"Aa...A zula!" Ty Lee was terrified, Azula could feel it.

"Really Ty Lee, I've forgiven you for your betrayal aaaages ago" Azula rolled her eyes looked at her nails with boredom.

Ty Lee ran to her friend and hugged her. Azula remained stiff and lifted an eyebrow.

"Ty Lee" She said curtly as the girl remembered her state of undress and began to blush.

"Oh, right, sorry. It's good to see you though." She put her Kiyoshi robes back on quickly.

"I'll be outside, you two have fun catching up" The acrobat said cheerfully as she bounced back to her post outside.

"What the hell Azula?!" Zuko pulled on the pants he'd left on the floor and sat on his bed looking at his sister expectantly.

"Well our uncle filled you in didn't he?" She said taking a seat on the bed next to him.

He looked at her cautiously. He was uneasy despite his uncle's reassurances that she was cured.

Iroh had been preparing Zuko for Azula's arrival for weeks. He spoke to Zuko about forgiveness and second chances.

"Don't be afraid Zuko, I forgave you for putting me in the asylum and I'm sorry for being so unstable and for hurting you so many times" She said looking down.

"I...I'm sorry too," He said looking into her eyes.

"Good now that that's out of the way, uncle filled you in...correct?" She asked moving past the emotions they had both felt the moment before...A bit too quicky, sentimental emotions were still new for her. She'd spent so much of her life trying to avoid them.

"Wh….yes….he said you would join us at breakfast not walk into my room while I was fucking Ty Lee" He said looking at his sister angrily, his eyes softened when he realized he hadn't seen her for just over two years, she thin...very thin though her skin had a healthy glow and she was still Azula, still beautiful and still his sister.

"We...welcome back" he half-whispered as he gave her a small smile.

"Uncle Iroh told me you've been healing your mind" He reached up to brush some ash from her face.

"Yes, you idiot, Iroh said they're coming after you and the baldy and that you let father escape." She said swatting his hand away and picking up a hairpin from under her bottom. She noted it must have belonged to Ty Lee.

She examined the piece "Cheap" She said casually before she threw the pin into the wall with force, it pierced the tapestry and stayed in place.

"And the whole Water Nation," He said looking down.

"Apparently our family too" She sighed.

He thought for a moment "What makes you think I'm going to trust you after all of the crap you've pulled?!" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Look, I've turned over a new leaf. I spent time on a giant lion turtle with Guru Pathik, I drank onion banana juice and I feel like a new woman. " She said smirking.

"I no longer work off of fear, I know better. My power speaks for itself, I don't need fear. I've learned the art of detachment to quiet my mind." She added with conviction.

"You're still a bitch" He muttered.

"Of course, that will always remain" She proclaimed proudly.

"It's so good to see you too Zuzu. I'm tired, see you at breakfast, try not to have too much fun….bastards are expensive" She said catching him by surprise and singing his thigh with lightning.

"HEY DON'T DO THAT!" He yelled closing his door and leaning back against it.

He narrowed his eyes, She was always welcome in the palace but having her back was strange. Not bad but not entirely good either, strange.

"Kai!" He called

"Yes my lord" the wiry young man entered the room and bowed.

"Order the cooks to prepare some bullpig bacon and chicken pig eggs for breakfast in the morning, the princess has returned. She will also likely want some pastries" He said as he noted the fear on the servant's face at the prospect of the princess being home.

"Yes milord, at once"

Zuko lay back on his bed wondering what the future would hold. He looked up at the canopy of his bed and sighed before sleep took him

"Azula!" She was startled out of her dream by her brother's voice.

"Wake up! You're late for breakfast" He said throwing her robe at her. She had the habit of sleeping naked and she sat up not realizing she was sharing her bare breasts with her brother and a guard.

She smirked noticing the guard's blush as she got up out of the bed without covering her body.

Her brother had no reaction except to roll his eyes at her as she walked toward her closet in the nude. They'd bathed together since they were small children and she would often disrobe in front of him even after her body had changed but it was still Azula, she was his sister and the sight of her naked body was nothing special to him, though the guard was having a hard time looking away from the beauty.

"Just hurry up," He said leaving and slamming the door behind him.

Zuko was worried, he could see her ribs a bit too much and her hip bones poked from her skin in a way that made him want to feed her. She was his little sister, it was up to him to keep her safe and healthy.

He narrowed his eyes remembering the guard beside him.

"Next time she takes her clothes off in front of you, leave the room or you're dead" Zuko bit out as he choked his guard against the wall before he let him fall to the ground and left him at the entrance of the dining hall.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++A few moments later++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Good Morning Zuzu,...uncle!" Azula exclaimed before sitting at the table after nodding at each of the men, and grinning. She wore long robes like her mother's only thin and made of pure silk. The red and yellow embroidery along the hems depicted flames and fire nation crests.

She smiled evilly at her brother while charging a small lightning spark in between her thumb and forefinger. It was a game they'd played since they were small. Sending small sparks of fire and then lightning under the table without the adults noticing. They both had scars on their legs from the game.

Azula chuckled when she remembered how angry the royal tailor would become when he noticed the holes in their clothing, which Ozai would blame on the poor construction of the garments until Ursa caught on to their little game.

"Azula, if you're trying to make me uncomfortable, it's working so just stop, you win. We need to start figuring out how we're going to stop the Phoenix King's Guard. They're going to try and restore father's bending power in six months when the comet comes and it will be far more powerful than before. They've already gathered thousands of supporters and have begun attacking the other kingdoms so you had better take this seriously and not betray me again" Zuko said drinking his tea.

"Now now Zuko be nice, Azula is trying to be better" Iroh said drinking a sip of tea.

"MMMMM everything I love in a breakfast Azula was wolfing down her meal as the servants watched in awe.

"What?" she asked with her mouth full. She was always regal and restrained when she ate. Exercising impeccable manners, however, at the moment she was not much for caring, she'd been eating nothing but nuts, berries, and onion banana juice during her treatment on the lion turtle, she'd forgotten how amazing palace life was.

"I've sent a letter to Ang, I think we should go to the Southern Water Kingdom," Zuko said eyeing his sister.

"Well I spoke to him in the spirit realm just this morning and he is already expecting you in the Southern Water Kingdom," Iroh said cheerfully.

"Would we call that a kingdom?" Azula asked taking a slow sip of her tea and arching her eyebrow.

"Azula, me taking you in there is not going to pleasant for them, do you remember how you've treated them?" Zuko asked looking at her cautiously.

"How could I forget the water peasant siblings? I promise Zuzu, I'll play nice. I've turned a new leaf. Besides I'm practically their princess, remember? Tell him uncle" she smiled slyly as she saw Suki walk through the door.

"I..Zu.." She was shocked at the sight that met her when she walked through the door.

"Don't worry Suki" Zuko reassured his bodyguard as she looked on at Azula with distrust.

"Suki was it? Oh yes, I remember you. You're a good fighter and an even better prisoner. How delightful to see you again. Could you be a dear and pour me some more water?" She held out her goblet delicately.

"I'm not a servant" She bit out at the princess.

"Well, not a very good one anyway" The amusement played on Azula's lips as Suki clenched her fists.

Zuko had to admit, she was still Azula but she was much more relaxed and definitely different, not as aggressive, still playful, still a brat.

"I'm waaaaaiting" The princess held her goblet out and looked at the girl expectantly. He could see Suki's anger rising but before she could act, he stood and quickly poured the water himself.

"Azula" Iroh spoke her name and gave her a warning look, the same he used on her when she was a child.

"Oh come now uncle, I'm only playing, besides , Zuzu , you always did give the servants too many privileges" Azula smiled sweetly at the girl as she turned to Zuko to give him her report.

"My lord, the Southern Water Chief has sent word that…." Azula cackled out with laughter cutting the girl off.

"You can't be serious?! 'The Southern Water Chief?'" Azula mocked.

"It's your boyfriend, right? Can't you just say Sokko or whatever his name is?" She was chuckling and playing with her sleeve as she reclined in the chair with boredom.

"Sokka, is not my boyfriend anymore and he IS NOT the Southern Water Chief, his father is" She bit out before turning to Zuko again to finish.

"Word was sent that they caught a member of the Phoenix Guard, they merged with the New Ozai Society and they were able to find out that they plan to take the North first. Hakota has already gone North with reinforcements." She looked down and not at Azula.

"Azula, we have to find father. There have been reports of him in the Earth Kingdom. They say that he is likely being kept in a safe house near Ba Sing Se" Zuko looked down at his hands. He still feared his father and there were things that happened after his escape that Azula didn't know about yet...

"The old New Ozai stronghold there is gone but who knows what kind of Fire Nation purists they have been able to recruit to this Phoenix King's Guard" Zuko huffed out in aggravation.

"Ugh, New Ozai, I thought they were all dead" Azula rolled her eyes.

"General Rian has taken over….I thought you would have known" Zuko narrowed his eyes at Azula.

"Zuzi, I told you…..new leaf….besides I never liked General Rian, he was disrespectful, he tried to rape me when I was 12. Uncle almost killed him but he got away and father sent assassins after him but no one succeeded" She said matter of factly as Zuko and Suki's mouth dropped open.

"I….I….didn't know…." Zuko looked at her in shock for the revelation.

"Of course you didn't it's not like I was going to come into your room and announce that some disgusting oaf put his hands down my pants and tore open my blouse before saying 'I'm going to fuck you until you shit yourself you pompous little cunt'….I mean….it was so long ago anyway….So If father tried to kill him, why is he trying to put father back on the throne?" Azula was thinking after she spoke and Zuko looked down in rage.

"Well I guess…...if the only alternative is you, Zuzu, then, of course, he's trying to put father on the throne. A man like that could never operate under your rule" She was satisfied with the answer her brain had provided and she sipped her tea and looked at him as if it were obvious.

General Rian had a reputation for being brutal during raids, he was known to take women by force and many times the women were very young. Ozai had little care or compassion for the plight of peasant women so he allowed Rian to get away with his actions for years. It wasn't until he asked Rian to train Azula in a bending technique he'd developed called the crane flame that Rian's actions and brazenness had become apparent.

Rian could not control himself at the sight of the young princess and as soon as her father was out of sight he pounced on her. What he hadn't realized was that she was the most agile and talented bender he would ever encounter even at her young age. She was able to fight him off and run to her uncle who proceeded to fight him almost to the death. It took every ounce of will for Iroh to keep himself from killing the man. He showed restraint for a moment which allowed Rian to escape with his life, though he was horribly disfigured by the Dragon of the West.

"Azula, we need to work together to bring these people down…..Do you understand that?" Zuko was still unsure that he could trust his sister.

"Don't you remember where Azula has been for the last two years and what she has been through?" Iroh asked as he thought about all she had been through with Guru Pathik.

"I was in treatment at Turtle Island with Guru Pathik" She stared at Zuko as if challenging him and mouthed 'NEW LEAF'

"I...I know….I just..." He stopped himself.

"Look Zuzu, I was really working on myself, meditating, balancing my chakras, practicing discipline and self-care, they gave me nuts, berries, and onion banana juice and now I'm here…..with you to save baldy and the United Republic...and the water peasants" She looked down at her nails.

"Uncle…..You trust this treatment?" Zuko asked looking at his uncle then at her.

"Of course, my good friend and friend of Aang, Guru Pathik has helped Azula let go of her anger and mania, she no longer walks the path of conquest. What she went through on Turtle Island was just like your metamorphosis in the Earth Kingdom, Zuko." He said motioning to Azula

"Azula and I also visited the spirit world last night and spoke to my mother," He said softly.

"Granny" Zuko whispered like a little boy. He loved his grandmother Ilah.

Azula smiled while gently playing with the heirloom around her neck. It was true, she really did want to help.

Suki sighed and opened her mouth to speak, catching Azula's attention.

"Oh, are you still here?" Azula yawned and looked at the woman lazily.

"I'll send word that you're going South and prepare TyLee to go with you" She bowed and Zuko nodded.

"Ty Lee is always ready to go with him" Azula chuckled out.

"Oh and Suki, please watch over my uncle while we're away," Zuko said motioning to the old man as Suki nodded and smiled, taking her leave.

"What? Why isn't uncle coming with us too?!" Azula asked narrowing her eyes at her brother.

"Someone has to stay behind and run the fire nation. I just hope Ling Ziu won't burn down my tea shop while I'm away" Iroh said happily. He had left a young apprentice behind in his shop to take care of the place.

"Now get ready, we're leaving at noon…..." Zuko said getting up and flicking Azula's ear before leaving

"OUCH!" She yelled as she sent a spark of lightning to his backside. He exited the room laughing while she smirked.

"It's so nice to see you two kids getting along," Iroh said pouring more tea. He liked having both the children back.

"Uncle" Azula looked at his niece with a small smile.

"Thank you," She said.

"I'm sorry I let him get away Azula. I should have hunted him down myself for what he did" Azula nodded and got up.

"Uncle, who is Kaitsu?" She asked remembering the words of her great-grandfather.

"Kaitsu is among the most ancient spirits around, he is one of seven lords of time. He is also called chaos. He came to Earth with his brothers many many years ago but he was corrupted by evil and began to shift the balance. An incarnation of the Avatar whose name has since been lost was able to imprison him in the spirit realm. This is why humans perceive time as linear even though it is not. Kaitsu is the missing dimension of time" Iroh looked at his niece as she let the gears of her mind work on the information.

"Why and how is he helping father?" She continued.

"That I do not know, Aang and I have figured out that Rian has somehow figured out a way to connect to dark spirits. Kaitsu is imprisoned deep in the spirit world in a realm that only Aang can access. You see when a normal human like you or me or even Guru Pathik visits the spirit world we can only access our interpretation of a small part of the realm. Spirits may come to us, usually friends and family but we cannot seek spirits in the realm. Only Aang can do that, however, he is unable to locate Kaitsu's prison. Rian has promised to free him, Koh another ancient spirit, has told Aang this. Rian must be stopped" Iroh was worried for his niece and nephew but he had faith in their abilities.

"Remember Azula, if you need me. Call for me in the spirit realm and I will come" He said looking at his niece's amber eyes. Eyes that reminded him so much of his father he could sometimes feel the fear they incited.

"I will, you take care of yourself uncle. We don't know who we can trust in the Fire Nation anymore" She said looking around.

Iroh was not worried about being left behind, some of his friends from the Order of the White Lotus were arriving that day and would be staying in the palace with him and anyone would be a fool to try and take on the elders of that Order. Iroh was ready.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Redemption

Sokka looked on as the black ship waving the fire nation banners made its way into the harbor. He knew who was on that ship that was preceded by black snow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He looked at Aang who nodded.

"She has been working with Guru Pathik. He said she was one of his most promising students, her chakras are balanced perfectly and I hear she makes a delicious onion banana juice" He said smiling.

"Yeah….." Sokka watched cautiously as the Fire Nation Royals disembarked.

His breath hitched at the sight of her, she had become a beautiful woman, her body had filled in perfectly though she was a bit too skinny but her breasts were still quite large and her face was still as exquisite as it always had been, her long thick black hair hung straight and her smirk made her all the more alluring. It made him uneasy that his mind went straight to admiring her looks. He was almost too jaded by her to even think of her that way, he did not trust her at all.

"Here we go" He breathed taking in the sight of the princess who wore a thick black fur over her fire nation royal garb.

"Sokka? Come on we have to greet them" Katara said eyeing her brother strangely, she looked in the direction of his gaze and arched an eyebrow.

"I know you don't trust her but we have to try" She shook her head and joined Aang in greeting the pair.

"Oh now now, don't all come to hug me at once" Azula smirked, speaking her words sarcastically as Aang crashed into her, causing her eyes to widen.

"Welcome princess," he said hugging her like an old friend.

"Ugh….I" She was shocked someone actually did hug her and she stiffened but relaxed as she remembered her teachings and realized how good it actually felt to get a hug.

"Th….thank you," She said with uncharacteristic softness as Aang released her and gave her a lopsided smile.

"Guru Pathik sends his regards," He said patting his new friend on the back.

"Do you ever miss the onion banana juice?" Aang asked with false seriousness before they both laughed.

Azula's eyes softened at the mention of the Guru and she smiled a genuine smile.

Sokka had never seen her smile like that before and he noticed that her face lit up in a beautiful way, a very familiar way. It was something he couldn't put his finger on.

"She's gorgeous" breathed one of the wolf guards near Sokka as he narrowed his eyes.

"yeah, fucking gorgeous and batshit crazy too. She spits blue lightning" he said looking at her coldly.

"No wonder you're still single" The guard teased.

"Kotaru….Soko" Azula said dismissively as she walked by the siblings.

"Its...Kata.." Katara was cut off by a yawn and the words of the tired princess.

"Where's my room in the palace?" She asked looking around in vain.

"We….don't have a palace," Katara said sheepishly.

"Oooooof course you don't….Well, then where's my dilapidated ice hut?" She said with a false smile.

"This way," Karata said firmly as she pulled Azula by the hand and led her to a rather large igloo.

"o….Oh….This...is….adequate" She said in half shock, she hadn't expected her previous assumption to actually be true.

She sighed and rubbed her temples as her servants brought her trunks into the igloo, at least she would be free of Zuko, she loved her brother but being on a boat with him was getting annoying, she needed her alone time.

"Azula, we're staying in the same hut," Zuko said as he directed his men to bring his trunks in too.

"WHAT?! NO! YOU SNORE AND YOU SMELL!" She huffed.

"ZUUUUUUU ZUUUUUUUU" She whined like a child.

"I need my space! We've been on a boat for weeks and you know what happened the last time we shared a room!" She said as she huffed and crossed her arms.

"Yeah I remember, I still have the lightning scar on my ass and my right knee swells when it rains!" he wasn't excited about the idea either.

"Yeah well, you kicked me" She huffed.

"I WAS ASLEEP!" He shouted.

"You hogged the blanket!" they shouted in unison.

"Well we've got separate beds at least," She said trying to make the best of things.

"Ughh can you make sure you warn me if you have a guest? I don't want to have to worry about walking in on Ty Lee polishing your knob again" She added, making Katara blush.

Ty Lee had become somewhat of a concubine for Zuko, they both liked the arrangement. It wasn't a relationship, just an open invitation for a physical release for both of them, it wasn't monogamous either.

"Azula….It's the only way they'd allow you to stay in the city, I have to be with you at all times" Zuko said eyeing his sister.

"Ty Lee will be posted outside and will be staying in the barracks during her time off" he added. Azula rolled her eyes.

"Aang are you sure she's changed? She doesn't seem very different to me" Sokka whispered at Aang.

"Spiritual changes are deep, her personality may seem the same on the surface but you can see she's not as aggressive or full of hatred. I can sense it" Ang said happily.

Suddenly Azula's eyes darted to the crowd of soldiers and she jumped throwing sharp, well-directed bolts of electricity at three of the men, they fell to the ground writhing as the shocks went through their systems.

"Oh right, not as aggressive or crazy" Sokka bit out as he ran to the men on the ground.

"What are you doing you psycho?! You can't just attack my men!" Sokka shouted.

A knife with a phoenix insignia fell from the hands of one of the men.

"LOOK! ASSASSINS" Said one of the wolf soldiers.

"How observant…..you idiots need to check your soldiers" Azula bit out standing in front of her brother.

"How dare they think they can just come here and kill my brother? If anyone is going to kill Zuzu, it'll be me!" She shouted and stalked over to one of the men and picked him up by the collar.

"HOW MANY MORE?" She spat before touching his temple and sending electricity straight into his brain, causing him to scream out in horrible agony.

"Four of us…..PLE...PLEASE DON'T KILL ME" He cried out before she dropped him unceremoniously and saw that they had only captured three of them

"TAKE OFF YOUR WOLF HATS" She roared into the crowd of soldiers as they all complied quickly except for one man who immediately fell to the floor and groveled at her feet.

"Pl...please my princess" He sobbed.

"ARREST HIM" She shouted as she picked him up by the collar and spoke next to his ear.

"If you don't tell us everything. I will take pleasure in ripping you apart, piece by piece. I haven't killed in a long time and suddenly I have a craving for blood." She whispered before throwing him to the ground. It wasn't true, she wasn't really craving blood but it was fun to watch them squirm. Her transformation was definitely going to be gradual.

"Changed huh?" Sokka frowned deeply as he spoke next to Katara.

"AND SOMEONE CHECK THE REST OF THESE IDIOTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT ASSASINS….TY LEE?! Use your special methods for interrogation" Azula smirked knowing Ty Lee would get the information they needed.

Azula walked toward the two Water Tribe siblings as if the previous events had never happened and spoke evenly.

"Where's the bath?" She asked Katara as she tossed her hair back.

Katara noticed the hardened look Soka gave the princess when she'd mentioned the bath after she'd brought down three assassins and then insinuated that they were incompetent.

"See, she would have killed those men before but now she only ordered them arrested," Aang said taking Katara's hand as Azula busied herself with retrieving her bathing supplies in her igloo.

"That's true," She said as she went to the igloo entrance to speak to Azula.

"Uh, Azula...the baths here are hot springs and they're this way," She said softly.

"Next you're going to tell me there's no plumbing and you have an outhouse," She said rolling her eyes as she emerged from the igloo with a bathing basket and towels.

"Well….actually we do have an outhouse, though there's plumbing in the city area but we've decided to stay here in the old village," Katara said.

Azula looked at her with no emotion and blinked hard before sighing "Ooooof course you did" The women made their way to a remote part of the village. Azula could see the steam rising.

Sokka Quickly followed.

"What are YOU doing?" Azula asked as Sokka joined the two women.

"Zuko is busy with the assassins. I don't trust you, I'm going to stand guard" He said with hard eyes.

"Yooooou, guard me?" She cackled out laughter before eyeing the man next to her. He really had become a man, a very good looking one at that.

Eyes like a lake, he now towered over her with large muscles and a chiseled jaw. In fact, she hadn't seen a man that good looking in a while but he was probably screwing everything in a dress, not that any of it mattered since he was just a water peasant.

These are our private family baths" Katara said as Azula smiled curtly and walked into the stone archway which led to a single, large hot spring. It looked so inviting as she dropped her soap basket and her heavy black fur coat.

She looked back at the siblings, tapping her finger and waiting for them to leave.

Katara looked at her brother whose expression had softened and sighed before she led him out of the springs noting a Kyoshi warrior was already outside the pool standing guard.

"Hello Hanako," Sokka said sheepishly as he nodded at the woman guard. The woman was a good friend of Suki.

"Hi Sokka," She said softly.

"Ho...how's…"He began.

"She's fine, she's leaving her post when we get back, she's engaged to Haru….and they're supposed to be getting married in a couple months" Hanako answered.

"O...oh..they're...wow" Sokka wasn't shocked that he hadn't even felt a sting upon hearing that Suki was engaged to this old friend from the Earth Kingdom.

They had been broken up for two years. It wasn't working for either of them for a while and when Suki met Haru it was undeniable so she ended things with Sokka for good. He was happy for her and completely done with that chapter.

"OOOOOOH HANAKO, WOULD YOU BE A DEAR AND FETCH MY SOAP" Azula's voice carried outside.

Hanako shook her head and began to make her way to the princess "Yes my lady" She said.

She'd learned the hard way that guards and servants were the same in Azula's eyes, as a matter of fact, all people were servants to Azula and it was just easier to comply with her.

Sokka furrowed his brow and held his hand up to stop Hanako "I'll go" He said sharply.

Azula had her back to him as he entered and quietly picked up the soap basket.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" She shouted as he reeled back, she immediately began laughing.

He looked at her with his mouth open and his eyes wide, he had to admit. Seeing her like that, even though she was submerged in the water, had his imagination racing but the laughing brought him back to a place of fear.

 **"** I'm only joking, I'm not angry you came instead of Hanako. I don't care which servant comes as long as I get my soap" She said with annoyance.

"Yo...uo knew it was me?" He asked in shock ignoring the servant comment.

"Of course I did, those clunky steps were not Hanako's….ugh…..You're dismissed peasant Just give me the basket, I'm too tired for chit-chat" She said with her nose in the air as she swam to the edge of the spring to clear her face of the water.

Suddenly his eyes widened "WHERE DO YOU GET THAT?!" He breathed with rage.

"Why are you still here and what are you talking about?" She bit out. She was annoyed.

"That necklace, it belongs…..it belongs to someone I , know" He said with tears in his eyes.

Azula ran her fingers over her necklace and looked at him strangely "You know my grandmother Ilah?" She asked sarcastically.

"WHAT? NO! STOP LYING! YOU'RE SUCH A CRAZY BITCH! YOU'RE DOING THIS TO TORTURE ME!" he was shouting and Hanako was worried. She left to find Katara.

Sokka didn't know how to react, he had mourned Yue but she was something sacred in his mind. He thought of all of the times Azula tortured and psychologically abused Zuko and the rest of them and he was convinced this was another one of those occasions. It was a new low in his mind. A disrespect of the dead and of a woman he once loved and he would not stand for it...it was too much.

"I'm not crazy and I'm not lying. This necklace belonged to my grandmother, my grandfather Azulon carved it for her" She said in an even tone. She was exercising her restraint at that moment but it was truly testing her.

In his mind, she had to be lying. She was pure fire nation and pure evil. He lost his composure in that moment and became blind with rage.

"IT'S A NORTHERN WATER TRIBE NECKLACE YOU CRAZY BITCH AND IT BELONGS TO YUE! I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GOT IT BUT I'M TAKING IT BACK! WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING EVIL?!I HATE YOU!" He jumped into the water surprising her as he yanked the necklace violently from her neck, leaving a mark.

"Get out!" She screamed rubbing her neck as he jumped quickly from the water, noting she hadn't used her lightning or fire.

She used every trick Guru Pathik had taught her to keep from zapping Sokka into oblivion. Her mind raced as she teetered between pain and anger. Trying to calm the storm in her mind.

"What's going on?" Katara shouted as she came in to find her brother soaking wet and both he and Azula crying and scowling at one another.

Azula was in the spring huddled next to a rock in the spring looking at them through her hair. Her arms covering her chest as the tears rolled down her cheeks, her eyes were hard as the tears were betraying her feelings through the scowl she wore on her face.

"SHE STOLE YUE'S NECKLACE!" Sokka was confused...He didn't mean to lose it, it was just too much. In his mind, Azula was the fire nation and the fire nation had taken Yue from him and she had no right to use Yue's memory like that.

"I TOLD YOU! IT BELONGS TO ME! MY GRANDFATHER CARVED IT FOR MY GRANDMOTHER!" She quickly pulled a towel over herself and got out of the pool. She was upset, she took a seat on a nearby rock and stared at Sokka with hard eyes. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks though she looked fierce.

Katara turned to her brother "Give it back Sokka" She said softly.

"What?...Katara….. SHE'S LYING!" He was shaking and trying to wrap his mind around how his sister could betray him like she was. She knew how much Yue meant to him. He was not giving her necklace back to the crazy bitch who was trying to use her memory to torture him.

"No…..she's not" Katara looked at her brother with compassion.

"Ilah was a princess of the Northern water tribe who fell in love with prince Azulon, he took her to the fire nation and married her. She gave birth to two boys, Iroh and Ozai and one girl….Yulah, a water bender, she was secretly spirited back to the North before her grandfather could kill her. She was…." She looked at her brother and smiled sadly.

"Yue's mother…..Sh….she's...Yue's ….Azula's cousin….You….you knew?! YOU KNEW THIS WHOLE TIME AND DIDN'T TELL ME?" He shouted at Katara.

"Aang told me a few weeks ago, I ….I didn't know how to tell you or if it even mattered," She said softly.

He looked at the trinket, examining it carefully and noting that it was identical to the one worn by Yue which would make since as they were of the same maternal line, except there was a small flame carved into the back with the letter A on it, for Azulon. Azula was telling the truth.

He walked over to where Azula was sitting. Her face was now clear, almost inquisitive. She was trying to figure out why her cousin Yue had such an effect on the man in front of her.

"I...I'm sorry," He said. She didn't acknowledge his words.

"Can you please leave?" She asked with no emotion in her voice.

Both siblings left quietly.

They stood outside of the hotspring and Katara looked at him sadly.

"They have the same smile" he breathed.

"I know" Katara agreed and patted her brother on the back.

"She could've killed me. All she had to do was use her electricity on the water while I was in there. I was so cruel to her and she was so calm " He held his head in his hands.

"She didn't fight me once, all she did was defend herself with her words and I called her a liar and told her I hated her and she's Yue's family" He sighed hard.

"Sokka….there's more…..She….doesn't know yet but….she's the princess of the Northern Water Tribe. They haven't told her but after Yue died, Zuko and Azula became the next in line for the title but since Zuko is the Fire Lord that means…" She looked at him.

" Azula is the heir to the Northern Water Tribe" He finished her words

"Zuko is trying to find the right time to tell her. Look you've seen for yourself, she's changed so lighten up on her and don't mention her water heritage, her granny died and it still hurts her. It's also just a lot for her. She's trying to keep it together, you saw." Katara looked up at the moon wondering if Yue could help them.

Soon Azula emerged from the baths dawning her heavy black furs, clutching them close to her body as if she was cold.

"Take me back to Zuko, please," She said to Katara as she passed Sokka without even a glance.

He noted she looked up at the moon and closed her eyes as if bathing in the moonlight, her skin almost glowed in that moment something flashed in his mind but he shook his head and they led her back to her brother.

Her long black hair was loose and hung straight against her pale skin while her amber eyes glowed with sadness.

He noted that the fear he felt when he was around her before was gone as was her intensity, she was still arrogant and fierce when she had to be but she was playful and somehow seemed more trustworthy especially now that she proved she could stay calm when attacked.

She held the necklace in her hand. He noted the clasp was broken and guilt racked him.

"So I hear we're going to leave the water kingdom in about three days," He said trying to fill the silence.

She only nodded as Zuko waved at them from the entrance of their hut.

He noted the look on his sister's face and looked at Katara and Sokka.

"Azula, what's wrong?" he pulled her face up by the chin. She quickly swatted his hand away and stood near to him.

"I'm tired," She said quietly as he studied her. She made her way into the hut quietly.

"What happened to my sister?" he asked angrily pulling Sokka to him by the collar.

"She ….I….The necklace" Sokka stammered.

"It was my grandmother's," He said eyeing the other man after releasing him.

"I...I know...Katara told me" He was ashamed of how he'd treated Azula.

"Look, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt her" Sokka whispered.

"You realize that she's changed right?" Zuko was serious and he was defending his sister. He had spent weeks with her on the boat and had seen first hand how she'd changed. He'd even meditated with her.

"I...I...know. I just….She…..her and Yue have the same smile, even their dimples are in the same place. I guess I should've known" He said looking down at his hands.

"Yeah well, you know whose smile that is right?" Zuko asked angrily.

"your….aunt's?" He said with his arms up.

"...no…." Zuko blinked hard and shook his head.

"Azulon" Sokka bit out and Zuko nodded.

"Exactly the same as grandfather Azulon. Yue had fire nation blood in her too" He was somber thinking about the man who'd ordered him killed.

"I broke it….The necklace….I….I want to fix it for her…..w...will you get it so I can fix it?" Sooka looked at his friend pleadingly and Zuko smiled and nodded.

"Zuko, do you think she's sleeping?" Katara asked as she looked toward the hut door.

"No, she's probably meditating" Zuko replied.

"You can go in, she's usually in a good mood after her night meditation" Katara nodded.

Katara was stunned to see Azula in a black silken robe with a fire nation crest embroidered beautifully on the lapel, the hem was made of blood red silk. Azula was sitting in lotus position on her bed. Her eyes were darting around under the lids telling Katara that she was likely in the spirit realm. Katara studied the woman in front of her, she had fire nation features except for her ears, Katara recognized the way the lobes hung as a trait from the water benders. Katara's eyes widened when she recognized another feature. Azula's end finger segments were long, almost longer than the bottom segment, it was a trait only water benders had. Karata was in shock, there was no way she would be able to bend both but it was a paradox because as a rule, ONLY water benders had fingers like that.

Suddenly Azula smiled and opened her eyes.

"H...hi" Katara said awkwardly. She felt strange getting caught examining the other woman.

"What?" Azula crossed her arms under her breasts and arched an eyebrow.

"Well, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what my brother did earlier….it's just hard to trust…you and well….he was in love with your cousin Yue and I think finding out that the two of you are related was a lot for him." She looked up and noted the woman in front of her was so confident and beautiful and she seemed so different yet so Azula.

"It's fine, I understand….he thought I was a monster and he still hates me….but I'm not a monster anymore," She said getting up from her bed and brushing her hair out before climbing into her bed.

"Goodnight Azula," Katara said quietly.

"Goodnight Katara" Azula said tucking herself in.

Katara exited the hut and nodded to Zuko who went in and quickly returned with the necklace.

"Make sure you bring it back in the morning so she won't notice it's gone. She usually wakes up an hour after sunrise and she's a pretty heavy sleeper so just leave it on the table where her brush and hair ornaments are." Zuko said looking Sokka in the eye.

The other man nodded and looked down at the trinket in his hand. He frowned when he noted it was cracked, he realized his rough treatment of the heirloom had done so much damage it may not have been repairable.

"Goodnight guys," He said to Katara and Aang as he prepared to try and make things right.

"I think Sokka ….is having a tough time with this" Aang was looking at the retreating back of his friend.

"Well….it's hard to forget all the stuff she's done and finding out the Yue was not only part of the Fire Nation Royal family but also first cousins with Azula must have been a lot." Aang and Katara made their way to their igloo. Katara played with her own engagement necklace, carved by Aang a few months before.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4: Zuzu

Sokka made his way to the hut where the fire monarchs slept. It was just a few minutes after sunrise. He could hear Zuko snoring from outside,

He entered the hut quietly and looked around for the table with the brushes. He found her hair piece, the ornament of the crown princess. He set the repaired necklace down next to it gently.

A whimper caught his attention, he looked down at the woman in the bed near him and noted how beautiful she truly was. She looked like a spirit, she was breathtaking. Her pale skin seemed to glow in contrast of her inky black hair which fanned out behind her.

She was so peaceful, he caught himself looking a bit too long and then noticed the snoring stopped. He turned around to see Zuko sitting up in his bed eyeing him.

"I..I put it back" Sokka whispered.

"Zuzu" She whimpered in her sleep as she wore a pained expression on her face.

Zuko chuckled softly. "She couldn't say Zuko when she was little so she called me Zuzu and it stuck," he said as he studied his sister.

"She's always had trouble sleeping. She used to come and sleep in my bed with me when we were little…...until grandmother died and then she stopped coming" He ran his fingers through his hair thinking of how strained their relationship had been since then.

"I'll see you at breakfast" Sokka whispered before leaving, he looked back and stole one last look at the woman.

She had impressed him so much after his display the night before. He had been up all night making repairs to her grandmother's necklace. He hoped that it would at least partially make up for how he'd treated her.

He knew she was tough but that night was the first time he'd ever seen her show vulnerability and there was something so beautiful about that. He connected to her through it.

Sure she was arrogant but that seemed more and more like a facade that could be put aside anytime.

*********************************Breakfast *******************************************

Azula walked into the dining hall, she wore a long black silken dress, her fashion sense had changed a bit since she'd been in treatment. Much of her treatment was done in minimal clothing as it involved lots of meditation and spirit work, which is why long silk gowns were her clothing of choice.

The men in the room, except Zuko of course, could not help but admire the shape of her under the light silk. She was breathtaking with her long black hair falling around her face.

"Oh, hey Azula, we were just discussing what the assassins told the guards who interrogated them"Aang said.

"They confirmed that the Order of New Ozai er um Phoenix Knights were planning on attacking the Northern Water tribe first, Sokka and Katara's dad is already up there with reinforcements and with your reinforcements from the fire nation staying here they should be OK for a little while at least while we try and hunt Ozai and the others down" Ang said as he pointed to a map on the table.

Azula's expression changed to one of curiosity.

"They won't take the North," Katara said firmly.

"No, they won't Katara. Hello Azula, daughter of Ozai, son of Ilah princess of the Northern Water Tribe" Azula narrowed her eyes and looked at the man who was bowing to her in respect. He wore a white lotus crest.

"Your grand uncle was my friend and so was your grandmother, they used to look after me when I was a young boy. They were like older siblings to me. I am honored to meet you. I am a friend of your uncle Iroh" he added, smiling.

" I'm sad to say I don't see a lot of Ilah in you except for your hands…..that is most interesting" She watched him with cautious eyes.

"I'm all Azulon" Azula proclaimed proudly.

"I am Pakku" He said warmly.

"That's my gramp gramp" Added Sokka with a lopsided smile.

"I am glad to meet you Pakku" Azula nodded and continued to strategize as her servants brought ber plates of her favorite foods, brought over on their ship.

Everyone was taken aback at Azula's polite treatment of Paku but she was no fool. She hoped to gain entry into the prestigious Order of the White Lotus herself someday so she knew to treat the members of the order with respect.

Zuko noted that his sister still looked very thin, who knew reversing the effects of a diet of nuts, berries and onion banana juice would be so difficult.

"We have another fleet of ships on their way from the fire nation to protect the bay here in the South" Azula said eyeing the map.

"We can ask for reinforcements from Ba Sing Se if needed in the Earth Kingdom. We should make our way through here ….Kiyoshi, then cut back through Omashu and then Northeast to Ba Sing Se" She said drawing their would be path.

"They won't have too much of a head start on us since we didn't run into anything on our way down, we would've seen signs of their fleet" she added.

"The Order of New Ozai had base camps on Ember Island and in these Earth colonies. I am willing to bet that these so-called Phoenix Knights have used some of the same resources. We'll go East and sweep through these enemy bases, then to Ba Sing Se to direct the reinforcements and back through Serpent's pass to the rest of the base camps and we should be up there in time to flank the enemy forces and trap them here in the Tundra where they'll be ripe for the picking. " She said marking the spots with stones.

"We can attack those on our way up, especially if they've sent their fighting men to the North. The basecamps should be relatively easy to take care of. We can have those left behind arrested and sent to the Earth kingdom prisons here and here while we figure out a mode of justice. We should also be able to find my father along the way. There will be no games, no infiltration. We are going full force. We have plenty of spies on the payroll to get us the intelligence reports we need. I want father to know that we are united and we are coming for him. To stop him for good." She added marking the map up.

Everyone was in absolute awe of the princess and her master strategy.

"You're a really good strategist," Katara said with pure admiration.

"I payed attention in school. With Zuzu in line for the throne I was trained as a general from the ripe age of 5" She said smirking at Zuko.

"She's really smart, she's always been better than me at everything" Zuko said solemnly.

"No one is better at brooding than Zuzu" She said smirking and pinching her brother on the arm.

"OUCH!" He said flicking her ear.

Sokka took a seat next to Azula not really thinking about it. They all seemed to have relaxed around her quickly.

Soon they all sat down to the fire nation style feast and Sokka was shoveling the food in his face at the same rate as Azula.

He'd never seen a woman eat like that, not even Toph and he had to admit that it was a huge turn on to see a gorgeous, regal woman, wolfing down meat like a savage.

She'd noticed how much the man next to her was enjoying the feast, she had to respect a man who could eat like her.

Soon she forgot herself in the decadence of the meal.

"Ughh you have to try the turtleduck" She said putting a hunk of meat on Sokka's plate. He ate the meat happily and forgot himself too.

"MMMMM This one" He said putting a bullpig rib right in her mouth. He'd already taken a bite of it but she didn't seem to care, she bit the meat and he brought it back to his own mouth, finishing it off before she shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth. He moaned in ecstasy as the exquisite taste of boarqupine meat danced across his taste buds.

The two were carrying on as if they were the only two in room and soon everyone noticed.

The rest of the group looked at the two with mouths open as they both realized they were being watched.

"What?!" they said in unison with full mouths then they looked at one another and blushed.

Azula realized what she'd just been doing and got up, excusing herself quickly. Zuko went after her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked following his sister out to the water.

"I've just meal fucked that peasant in front of everyone" She sighed. She began washing her hands in a nearby basin of water noting strangely how the water moved with her touch, she shook her head and continued speaking.

"I need to get out more" She added.

"Come back and finish eating, this is the last big meal we're gonna have for a while" Zuko said, taking his sister's hand and pulling her back to the dining tent.

He'd become much more protective of her in the last few weeks, more affectionate as well. They both had a thirst for it. He noted that she needed the affection. She had pushed his love away for so long that it felt good that she was finally receptive of it.

Azula returned to the dining tent to find Sokka with his eyes down, he looked up at her and couldn't help but smile, especially when he saw she was wearing her grandmother's necklace again.

She smiled back at him, it was a reflex and she looked away quickly but he couldn't help the feeling in the pit of his stomach as he noted her beauty.

She sat down and finished her meal quietly as Zuko, Aang and Katara spoke of the logistics of their impending travel.

"We're following your plan Azula" Zuko brought her back into the conversation.

"I've sent word to uncle that we need loyal reinforcements and to the Earth king that he will need to provide a place for us to house the prisoners while we sort them" He said smiling at her.

She nodded as she bit into her pastry, it was exquisite.

"Try this one" Sokka placed a pastry onto her plate sheepishly as she gave him a small smile.

"We'll leave in three hours, so Appa can rest a bit more" Said Aang.

"We're going two days before schedule" Katara added.

All of them nodded.

"Too bad Toph can't come" Sokka said sadly.

"She's pregnant Sokka, that's a bit much to ask" Aang said.

"Woah, really? Who's the father?" Sokka was interested to see who his friend had decided to settle down with.

"It's Tien Kai" Katara said smiling.

"Oh, yeah I remember him. I'm happy for them" Sokka smiled thinking of his own desire to have a family, his smile faded when he thought of Suki and Yue, somehow his only attempts at real love ended in disaster.

"I have to pack" Azula announced as she made her way to her hut followed by her brother.

She began folding the things she felt were the bare necessities and began placing them into a red bag with a Fire Nation crest on the front.

"Azula" Her brother's voice was gentle.

"I have a letter for you from mother" He was cautious. This would prove exactly how much she had changed.

"I…." She didn't know what to say. It was strange considering what the last letter she'd read written by her mother had done.

"I thought she forgot me" She said softly.

"No Azula, she got her memories and her face back" Zuko studied her carefully.

"Oh…." She took the letter from him carefully.

"You have father's nose and the same voice as him" She said smiling at her brother and poking his nose with her fingertip.

"You…." He began.

"I never believed you were Ikemi's son" She said flatly.

"You've got too much Azulon in you" She smirked at his expression.

"Remember how everyone always thought we were twins when we were little?" She sat on her bed and opened the letter while her brother packed his things.

"She knew I was on Turtle Island. Guru Pathik contacted her and told her to write me a letter with all of the things she'd like me to know" Azula looked up at her brother with tears in her eyes as he sat next to her and just stayed, providing silent support.

"She…..she says she loves me and misses me and she's sorry…...I forgave ….I forgave her…..It took me so long to forgive her Zuko… Guru Pathik had his work cut out for him with all that anger I had in me….All I kept saying was 'How could she just leave us like that and then forget us?'...but...I'm not mad anymore….I'm just sad.." Azula sobbed into her hands. Zuko rubbed her back awkwardly. He had never seen Azula show so much emotion in his entire life. It was refreshing.

"Azula there's more….when father escaped….." Zuko was crying.

"...he…...He went to mother's village and he and his followers massacred them…..the whole village. He…...he took their heads….mom's and Noren's and ….and" He was sobbing as she looked at him with eyes wide.

"And Kiyi…..their heads were on spikes at the village gate when we got there…..she...she was innocent…..I found that letter in mother's things" Tears fell from Azula's eyes as she threw her arms around her brother causing him to gasp. She needed the contact, she had just begun to forgive her mother and looked forward to seeing her again and this was too much. Ozai had gone too far.

"We have to stop him" She said as she cried into his back.

"I love you, Azula….You're all I have left" He said as tears fell from his eyes.

"I love you too Zuzu….You'll always have me….always" She sniffled.

They stayed connected for a while just embracing and comforting one another. After a time Azula pulled back and took her brother's hand.

"Sorry I tried to kill you" She said and he chuckled.

Sokka walked in and felt strange seeing the siblings in their intimate moment.

"Oh...uh sorry" He said before turning to leave.

"It's OK, Sokka. We're just packing" Zuko said getting up and continuing where he left off, wiping his nose and eyes.

"So Aang says that we need to head to Kiyoshi Island first Sokka said somberly.

"Oh, well Suki is in The Fire Nation Capital with my uncle and...Ha….well she's not at Kiyoshi Island" Zuko said

"You were going to say Haru, right?" He said firmly.

"Haru is in the palace too" Zuko said as he put his hand on Sokka's shoulder.

Azula wiped her eyes and stowed her mother's letter away, tuning out the conversation between her brother and his friend as she thought about the loss of her mother and sister she never got to know. She was just a child.

"I'm OK Zuko, I wish them well. I knew Suki and I weren't meant to be together a long time ago. We had more of a friendship connection and well she was pretty cute so of course it got physical but the spark isn't there…..you know…..It's like we never fit together just right…..almost but not quite right. She and Haru seem to be a better match." He looked his friend in the eyes and it was evident that he was telling the truth. Suki was just a friend now.

"Yeah, well I'm glad you're OK" Zuko said as he noted Azula was looking in a mirror. She was putting on a little bit of lip color as she always did. He caught Sokka staring at her with heavy eyes.

"Hey, could you take my bag out to Appa?, I've got to change into my travel clothes" Zuko said as Sokka took his bag and nodded.

"Azula, can I take your bag?" He asked gently.

"Yes you may take my bag, and be careful with that when you load it onto the giant fur pile" She said handing him the red bag. He noted it smelled like her. It was a really nice smell, jasmine and orange blossoms.

He rolled his eyes when she spoke to him like a servant, she was still Azula.

Azula and Zuko changed into their traveling clothes just like they wore before except with a little more royal pomp for Zuko and the only difference between Azula's all black suit with gold trim from the hundred-year war era was that she wore her long hair down and not in a ponytail.

They approached Appa. And Azula reeled back.

"OH UGH DON'T YOU BAITHE THAT THING?!" She was pinching her nose

"Hey! He doesn't….." Aang stopped when he realized she was right Appa stunk.

Before he could react Azula had stripped down to her underwear and was digging out some soap from a trunk of things her servants were moving to another hut for storage. She wanted to keep her mind off of her mother. Everytime her mind was empty her mother crept in and eyes filled with tears.

"This is the soap I used on Bikoh, my owlcat, I left him with Zuzu and he was eaten by a crocodile," She said as she approached Appa who was growling, though he somehow sensed her sadness.

"Come now, I won't hurt you" She was talking to Appa and he was responding.

Azula brandished two apples and fed them to the water bison who then allowed her to lead him to a nearby hot spring that looked like it was for animal use as a man was leaving with his polarbeardog. Azula led the beast into the water and began to lather him up.

She was humming a little melody, Zuko recognized the little tune his mother used to hum while bathing them.

"There you are you stinky creature," She said in a cuddly tone as she washed Appa's face with the delicious smelling soap.

Aang stepped in and began to scrub Appa.

"Uh..I can finish up" He said blushing as he noted that her top was now completely clinging to her chest, she may as well have been naked.

Sokka may as well have been drooling as Katara noticed he hadn't moved his eyes since the princess had entered the water. Zuko scowled at his friend.

"What are you doing?" He asked roughly as he picked up a towel and went to wrap it around his sister.

"Come on Azula, get dressed," he said handing her the pile of clothing she'd left behind.

"You there! Bring that trunk back to my hut " She commanded a nearby guard who was having a problem keeping his eyes off of the princess but complied with her wishes as she went to change back into her clothing, retrieving some spare dry underwear from her trunk.

Zuko stalked over to Sokka with rage on his face.

"What the hell ?" He said shoving the water tribesman.

"What?" He asked blushing

"I SAW YOU STARING AT AZULA" Zuko bit out as a flame sparked in his hand.

"WHAT!? I'M JUST A MAN! Don't you know how incredibly beautiful she is?" Sokka stammered.

"I mean that's not normal beauty, it's the kind of beauty that stories are written about, she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. She's the most beautiful woman most people have ever seen in their lives, She looks like a spirit." He sighed hard.

"Yeah well, she's just recovered from her condition so leave her alone, she doesn't need more confusion right now" Zuko was firm on his stance.

"Huh, yeah well she's beautiful but I would never want to be with someone like her" They both heard a huff and turned to see the woman with her eyebrow arched and her nose in the air.

"As if I would ever allow a water pesant to put his filthy hands on me" She spat, she didn't know why she felt so hurt but she'd learned to detach herself for these kinds of feelings so she let it go, she had too many other things on her mind.

"Azu.." Sokka began as she turned and left the area without so much as a look back.

"I'm an idiot" he said to himself as he thought about the lie he'd just told. Sure Azula was bitchy but his words were mean and not true.

He looked ahead to see Zuko and Azula in a heated conversation so he decided to help Aang and Katara dry Appa off. He had to admit the owlcat soap smelled amazing.

"ZUKO! Don't do that again!" Azula bit out as her brother approached.

"What?" He spat.

"Tell a man to stay away from me" She said evenly.

"I'm only trying to protect you" he said looking into her eyes.

"I can make my own decisions Zuko, you have to respect that and trust it. I mean I'm not trying to date that peasant but in the case that I meet someone who is actually worthy of me and who I'm actually interested in. Please respect my choices" She said.

"I….I...I'm sorry…." he said looking down.

Suddenly they felt a breese and smelled an enticing rose apple fragrance.

"Ah that's the way a pet should smell," She said happily as they climbed aboard Appa quickly.

"Sokka, are you OK?" Katara noticed her brother was scowling. He had come up to the siblings in time to hear Azula's last statement.

Azula didn't even spare him a second glance as she climbed up onto Appa's head and gave him a scratch, "you're welcome" She cooed.

"I packed enough pet soap for our whole journey," She said holing out a bag which Aang gladly took.

"I can't believe Appa actually likes her" Katara whispered.

"They've both worked with Guru Pathik" Aang reminded her.

A few hours had passed and each member of the group was getting tired.

"Azula" Aang looked at the woman who had been reading Earth Kingdom intelligence report scrolls for hours.

"Hnn" She looked up from her studies.

"Um, thanks for the soap, I'm sorry about your owlcat. If he died, why did you bring all this fancy pet soap?" he asked curiously.

"For the bison," She said shrugging.

"I'd forgotten about it until his smell hit me this morning. Guru Pathik always said that caring for animals is an authentic way of connecting with nature." She said with conviction.

"Azula…..." Ang said looking at her. She looked at him with a small smile and inquisitive eyes

"I'm sorry about your mom and sister" He said softly

She nodded and looked down.

"Kaitsu…" She said softly.

"You think he was involved? I do too" Ag was sure of the spirit's involvement with Ozai's violent murder of the former Lady of the Fire Nation and her new family but wasn't sure of the extent of it.

"Kaitsu is chaos…...Father is many things but he is not a monster of that caliber…..In any case he has to be stopped…..for good" She looked Aang in the eyes. He nodded, recognizing that this may be a time when the use of deadly force was a necessity.

"I don't think I can do it" She said soundly before going back to her reading. Aang knew she spoke of ending her father's life and he would not let her derail her teachings that way.

Aang noted that Sokka was sitting right next to Azula, examining scrolls as well. They would absently trade scrolls and point at map points from time to time, talking strategy.

"Zuzu" She called as her brother came to her side in the large saddle.

"Zuz, it looks like the Phoenix Guard has a base in this clearing," She said pulling out a map and pointing to a location.

"Yeah and we figured out that we can surprise them by Earthbending through this point" Sokka said reaching over Azula to point at the map.

Zuko's lips tightened when he noted that Azula and Sokka were pressed against one another while explaining the map and Azula didn't seem to mind at all, in fact she leaned over a map the two were examining and hooked her leg over Sokka's knee, then didn't remove it when they went back to reading scrolls.

Soon the two were talking strategy and laughing and joking, pressed against one another, the obvious flirting was so notable that all the others could only watch in shock. Katara pointed at the two and Aang shrugged.

"I've never seen him thiiiiis interested in what a girl had to say" Katara said.

"Yeah well Azula isn't an ordinary girl but I've never seen her flirt like that…..I didn't even know she could" Zuko said with a sigh.

"Yeah well, you're going to have to help me with them if this doesn't end well" Katara warned Zuko who only nodded.

The two looked back at their siblings and cringed upon hearing…..

"You're the smartest person I've ever met" Sokka was blushing when he paid the princess the compliment.

"You're not as stupid as I thought you were" She replied.

"Bullpig jerky?" She asked offering him some of her snacks.

"OHHHHH YES MEAT!" he said as he took the bag from her.

The continued chatting about strategy and soon it turned to adventures with friends and before long they were the only two awake eating meat, flirting and chatting.

"Look! We've reached Kiyoshi Island. I guess we should stop and make camp" Sokka said directing Appa to land in a certain area he and Azula knew would be safe.

Azula gently woke her brother and then Aang and Katara who stretched and quickly unloaded the large saddle.

Aang quickly Earth bent three tents and Katara quickly tied the cloth doors and floors to each tent and then went straight to sleep with Aang.

Zuko, Sokka and Azula looked at the remaining two tents.

"You're with me" Zuko said pulling Azula with him before the other two could say a word.

Soon Sokka was in his tent wondering what had happened. He couldn't stop thinking about Azula and how intelligent and funny and beautiful she was. It was hard for him to believe that this was the same Azula whom he'd battled all of those times.

'I guess Aang was right' he thought as he continued to let his mind wander to thoughts of the beautiful princess.

Azula took her place next to her brother noting they'd only packed one blanket, a large furry black blanket with a royal crest embroidered on it in with blue and red flames. Soon she was sleeping only to wake a few hours later as her teeth chattered, she pulled the blanket back over herself only for it to be pulled back with a kick to her calve.

"OUCH! ZUKO" She ground out elbowing the lump behind her. Soon after a few more kicks and shoves from both sides there was a large explosion of yellow and blue flames which ended in a singed tent and both siblings falling asleep pressed together, back to back. Azula took the opportunity to tuck her cold feet under her brother's leg earning her an elbow to the ribs before he was snoring and she was sleeping quietly.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5: Sometimes

…...Sometime during the night, Azula had woken to use the bathroom and while trying to discern between Sokka and her brother's tent in the dark, she took a gamble and lost.

Sokka woke to the amazing scent of jasmine and orange blossoms. He groaned a bit as he felt a tightness in his groin. He was hard and there was something pressed against him. Something that felt really good.

He looked down and noted that Azula had her backside pressed firmly against him and was rubbing herself against him as she shifted in her sleep, she did it with just the right amount of pressure to give him exactly what he needed.

Her left breast had popped completely out of the blanket, her robe was completely off of her, laying somewhere near their feet and her pink nipple was hard and oh so tempting atop that large, perfectly shaped globe he so desperately wanted to suck into his mouth at that moment.

She was still fast asleep he reached down to pushed her gently but it backfired as it only made her push back against him and rub her perfectly shaped backside at an angle that allowed his stiff length to wedge itself between the two cheeks drawing an involuntary groan from him.

It had been a while since he'd had a woman and the only thing between him and her skin was the flimsy material of his underwear he could feel her bare skin against his leg and stomach. He moaned again and tried to steady his breathing, he had to get out of the situation fast.

He gripped her waist firmly and rolled her over onto her face before quickly exiting the tent. Covering himself with his shirt as he dashed into the woods.

He found a tree and went to work taking care of his problem. He couldn't escape the thoughts of the princess on her knees in front of him, he would thrust into her from behind gripping her hips before moving his hands to her big bouncing breasts.

He would flip her over onto her back and kiss her while thrusting into her. Bringing her to pleasure he would pull her chin up and look into her eyes as he spilled into her.

"ugh….Azuuuuula" he breathed as his seed spurted onto the ground and he opened his eyes. His breath was ragged. Even his fantasies of her were more intense than any he'd ever had before.

He composed himself and walked back to camp, happy no one else was up. He washed his hands and face in the river nearby before he began to light a fire and prepare some tea.

He was struggling with the flint when a spark of blue fire passed just by him and ignited his whole woodpile.

"Mmmmmmm" Azula stretched deeply, presenting her, now robed, body in a way that would have had his body reacting if he hadn't just relieved himself of his tension.

"Good morning," he said with a large smile.

" I ….went into the wrong tent last night…..and my robe…..I…..apologies" She was stern.

"Oh...yeah, it's no problem. I didn't even notice you really" He stammered.

She went to her bag and then to the river. She was out of sight for a few minutes and came back dressed, her long black hair flowing.

She walked to a clearing next to the campsite and proceeded to practice her bending stances in a display of physical mastery that could only be described as spectacular. She bent blue fire and lightning in an enticing dance that showed true skill as well as pure mastery of her body.

She pulled a sword from her bag. It was exquisite, Sokka had never seen metal like it before.

"Hey, that's a cool sword" Sokka said with a grin on his face. She turned and put the blade to his neck playfully.

"It's made of a piece of Sozin's Comet. Grandfather Azulon left it to me" She said motioning to his sword.

"Want to spar?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

"Well…..I mean….ok" He said, he was afraid…...very afraid.

Sokka was ready for her to be an amazing swordswoman but to say that she surpassed his expectations would be an understatement. She was the best fighter with a sword he'd ever seen. Even more talented than Master Piandao.

She had a command of her body that he had never seen on a person, her body and sword moved as one while she brought him down over and over again. He never once got to be on the offense. This woman was a force.

"Piandao trained me too" She said recognizing some of the signature moves Piandao had taught her, in Sokka.

"Wait, what?!" He was in shock. They broke for a moment to get water and for him to catch his breath.

"The way that the swords collide…...your sword is also made of space….."

"SPACE EARTH….YOU WERE GONNA SAY SPACE EARTH RIGHT?" He yelled happily.

"...Matter" she said sternly before giggling, she couldn't help herself.

"This is good craftsmanship" She noted testing his sword.

"I made it" He said proudly. She raised her eyebrows in mock disbelief.

"You know I lost it the day...we defeated your father. It fell and I thought I'd never see it again. Toph got it back for me. She felt bad that I lost it saving her and her family is really rich so she hired someone to find it and they did" He picked up Azula's sword and looked at it in awe.

"The design is different on your sword," Sokka said studying the blade on the princess' sword. It was flawless, obviously royal made.

"What does the engraving mean?" he asked.

"It's great grandfather's, grandfather's and my birthdate below it in the language of the Sun Warriors. Each time it is passed down, the birthdate is engraved. Grandfather had it engraved when I was a baby. My parents waited for a little while to name me because my mother was ill after having me. Grandmother Illah took care of me while my mother got better. They say one day grandfather picked me up and I burned off his beard so he named me Azula. Also because he said looking at me was like looking at his baby paintings come to life." She touched the engraving.

"That feels like another lifetime" Her words were almost inaudible.

"Let's finish, and don't hold back," She said smiling as his eyebrows disappeared.

They fought hard, he gave her everything he had, slicing and thrashing as she easily overwhelmed and dominated him. He had to admit it was sexy as hell.

Soon Sokka's hair band fell loose and his long brown hair fell around his chiseled face. Azula had to admit he looked amazing. She blushed a bit when he caught her looking at him before she crashed her sword into his, violently.

They finished with him on the ground and her straddling him with her blade to his neck over his sword, her body crouched down over the swords and her face just inches from his, both sweating and breathing hard.

They looked into each others eyes, he took his free hand and placed on the back of her head, he caressed her hair and pulled her forward to him, she closed her eyes in anticipation of their lips touching before she was pulled back roughly.

"AZULA!?" Zuko looked down at Sokka while the other man waved and smiled sheepishly.

"WHAT?!" She roared jumping to her feet.

"You said you would spar with me," Zuko said remembering his promise to his sister about trusting her decisions, and diffusing the situation.

He picked up Sokka's sword and immediately regretted it when Azula took the sexual frustration she retained from being blocked by Zuko and rained it down on him in the form of well placed and rough sword attacks.

He was also never on the offense. It only intensified when Zuko added fire into the mix. He was in awe of how much better she was with her bending now and how incredible his sister was with her blue flames and lightning.

Sokka had to admire a woman who could kick his ass blindfolded with both hands tied behind her back and who could breathe blue fire and lightning.

Soon the others woke and watched the siblings in awe. The sparing ended with Zuko on his back and Azula on her feet with her blade to his neck. He put his hands up and she helped him up. Soon after, she dropped into lotus position and began to meditate.

"I can feel the spiritual energy coming from her. She is in deep meditation" Aang said smiling at the group.

"I'm going to join her" he added as he took lotus position in front of Azula, something she was fine with as her master Guru Pathik had done the same many times before.

"She eats after mediation," Said Zuko as he came to where the others were and inhaled the chickenpig eggs Sokka had made, he had gotten a much-needed workout and spar from his sister.

"So…." Katara looked at Sokka with raised eyebrows.

"What? She got into the wrong tent in the middle of the night…..I didn't even know until I woke up" He said blushing.

"Uh…..I was actually talking about the almost-kiss" Sokka put his hand over his face and then looked at Zuko who was turning red.

"We just slept and I didn't even notice until the morning," Sokka said innocently.

Zuko remember himself and relaxed.

"Yeah, she burned my hair." Zuko said pointing to a chunk of missing and singed hair on his head absently.

"I hog the blanket" He added shrugging as Aang and Azula made their way back .

Soon the whole crowd was talking and joking like old times only now Azula was with them and as much as Katara hated to admit it, she was funnier and less stubborn than Toph. Azula helped clear up the dishes and even collected apples for Appa.

"Yeah, you're a big ugly furball aren't you" Azula cooed at Appa while feeding him a large pile of apples.

She sniffed him and narrowed her eyes. "You'll need another bath soon," She said as the animal groaned.

Sokka called Azula over as he pulled the map out of his bag and consulted her about their next move.

"Right, you're right we should attack at night when Katara's waterbending is stronger," He said as she nodded and they prepared for their strike.

Later that night the group stood at the mouth of a cave that they knew would lead directly to the Order of New Ozai/ Phoenix Knight stronghold.

Azula nodded at Aang and he began to bend the Earth into a tunnel. They ran through the tunnel with the light from Azula and Zuko's hands. They held the flames ahead of the group and soon Aang stopped.

"There's no more Earth left after this, I can feel that it's just there," He said looking around to make sure everyone was ready.

Azula breathed heavily "I'm ready for a fight" she smirked as Aang brought down the wall.

As soon as they broke through they were met with resistance as the fire benders were in the middle of what looked like an initiation ritual, there were hundreds.

Azula ran across the side of the wall spewing cobalt lightning, she took down thirty men with one swoop. They were on the ground writhing in agony as she moved on to the next group. Each of them were able to take on two to three opponents at a time while Azula brought them down by the tens and twenties.

Soon there was only one left. She recognized him, it was one of her father's deadliest and most decorated generals. She narrowed her eyes and prepared herself for the agni kai.

"Woo Jing, If I beat you, you must direct them to come to prison willingly" She bit out.

"I see your treacherous brother was able to sway your troubled mind, princess" The general teased.

"Oh come now, your little attempts at insulting me won't work. I've read your file, never married, killer of women and children…...Frustrated…... What? you wanted to free my father to see if you'll have a chance at getting in his bed?" She cackled out as the general fired at her clumsily.

"You fucking crazy bitch" He screamed as she dodged his attacks easily.

"Oh come now, don't be bitter. I'm sure dad would be up for anything by now. Prison is a lonely place" She bit out before delivering a well-directed bolt of lightning directly to his chest. She continued to feed the bolt even after the man had fallen. He was writhing in agony, screaming as the high voltage of electricity shot through him.

"AZULA!" Zuko screamed at her before she did something that might have derailed her healing.

She pulled in the lightning and glanced at her brother.

"What? He's still alive, at his age and weight, I would have needed to hold him there for another 87 seconds to kill him" She said calmly as she examined the prisoners who'd been tied up efficiently by the Earth Kingdom reinforcements that had arrived.

"You were uh, great out there" Sokka blushed while delivering the compliment.

"Thanks" She replied cooly, she was always wired after a battle and looking at him made her want to pull his pants down, push him to the ground and ride him to completion so she avoided the temptation.

The group was taken back to the city along with the prisoners who were to be transported to the holding area.

Ty Lee who'd arrived there by ship a few hours before them led them to their home for the night.

"There are three rooms" She smiled looking at Zuko.

Azula huffed and rolled her eyes, she knew what Zuko would be doing that night.

"Looks like it's you and me peasant" She huffed taking Sokka's hand and dragging him into 'their' room.

"Looks like I've got first watch" He stammered looking at a frowning Zuko.

It was a beautiful and luxurious home with a bath adjoining each room.

"You can have the bath first" She said pointing to the bathing chamber.

"There's something I have to do" He looked at her with curiosity as she left the room.

Solka wasn't sure why but he followed her to the courtyard of the house where Appa was in the garden eating hay.

"Hey furball" She said brandishing four apples she had taken from the table before coming outside.

"You've done well today" She said petting the bison and giving him apples. Connecting with animals was one of the best ways to ground the spirit according to Guru Pathik and Azula had to admit it felt nice to care for a creature and feel the gratitude coming from the beast.

He licked her face causing her to laugh out loud.

Sokka smiled while watching the woman. She was definitely still full of surprises.

He closed the door and went to the bath.

After his bath, Sokka walked into the room to find Azula reading a letter. She quickly put the letter back in her bag and took her robe and towel into the bathing chamber.

"Th...there's still some hot water for you" He said softly as she nodded and made her way inside. She hadn't closed the door all the way.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He would not look. It wasn't right. He would only look if he had permission.

He took out some intelligence scrolls to keep himself busy and sat down on the floor on the other side of the bed, putting it between him and the bathing chamber door, avoiding temptation.

He was startled from his reading by a what sounded like a moan.

'OH NO, SHE CAN'T BE' he though as his cock shot straight up in response to the thought that the princess was touching herself in the bath.

He leapt over the bed, crept to the door and peeked through. His breath hitched at the sight in front of him. He had a perfect view of the princess sitting at the edge of the tub, her beautiful face turned up , eyes closed, brows drawn in pleasure as one hand moved between her spread legs. Her juices making the beautiful, puffy lips of her slit slick. The other hand was squeezing a breast.

"Ahhh Sokka, yes…..Sokka...just like that" She breathed softly as she bit her lip and stifled a moan, silently reaching her peak as he body shuddered. He jumped up and went back to the floor where he had been reading. He was blushing madly and his eyes were wide in shock. It was all happening so fast. He was breathing deeply trying to think of something to reverse his erection. Suddenly the room door flew open and Zuko stomped in.

"Where's my sister?" he demanded.

"In….the…. bath" He said innocently.

" You're sleeping in my room and Ty Lee will be in here. We….we're done catching up" He said looking at the scrolls Sokka was reading.

"I will not sleep with Ty Lee, I have never had the displeasure of contracting venereal diseases and I'm not about to start now. "Azula exclaimed as she exited the bathing chamber, toweling her hair off. She had forgiven Ty Lee but things were not about to go back to normal. She needed a little while for that.

"He can sleep with her. I'll sleep with Zuzu" She said moving her hair back and pointing at Sokka.

His erection was long gone and the prospect of sleeping next to Ty Lee only made him softer.

She was cute but dumb as a doorknob and too free with her affections for his taste. He was not excited about having to fend her off for a whole night.

"Yeah!" Ty Lee said excitedly as she walked into the room.

Azula shot her a warning look.

"NO! Let's just leave it as it is…..Just sleep..." Zuko narrowed his eyes and Azula shrugged.

"...I'll sleep on the floor" Sokka said chuckling.

Zuko and Ty Lee made their way back to their room, slamming the door as Azula rolled her eyes and patted the bed.

"There's plenty of room here, besides, there's only one blanket" She said cooly as she got into lotus position on her side of the bed.

She felt the bed dip and heard him unroll a scroll before she entered a deeper meditation.

She came out of meditation with a start. Her eyes popped open and she caught Sokka gazing at her. She pretended not to notice and immediately began to stretch her body. Something that always got a reaction from him.

He was frustrated at this point. She stretched her lithe body across her side of the bed. Bending her back, which caused her large breasts to pop out and he couldn't help the small moan that escaped his lips.

She opened one eye eveily to see him watching her. She laid flat on her back and then turned toward him with her elbow propping up her head.

"What are you reading?" she asked leaning into the scroll over his folded legs .

She was very aware of what she was doing.

Having her face so close to his crotch was making him want to cry. He had to keep the scroll in place or she would see exactly what she was doing to him.

"I...it's uh...a ….Water tribe scroll….ma….my dad wrote it…..He's in the North….it's about what the fire nation is capable of when they are exercising a bender genocide" She got up and sat next to him.

"Your mother" She said softly. She'd heard that story somewhere.

"I'm sorry" she said softly.

"I'm sorry about your mother too" he said just as softly. They smiled at one another for a moment and she broke contact and looked down.

"Sometimes I think about what would have happened to the world if Ozai had won and I had become fire lord" She looked down at her hands.

"I would have had so much more penance to pay" She whispered.

"Well Ozai didn't win and he won't ever win" Sokka bit out as she nodded.

"Bullpig jerky?" He asked offering the woman some meat.

She smiled eating the meat happily. Soon they were telling jokes and laughing while eating their meat and drinking tea.

There was a moment of silence where they heard a small moan and some pounding.

"Looks like it's a good thing Ty Lee went back in with Zuko" He chuckled but then the moen got louder and became a word.

"Aaaaaaang" Katara moaned as Azula cackled out laughter and Sokka pretended to throw up.

The two were laughing again when there was pounding from the other side as well. They would remember not to go for the middle room next time.

"So, I'm surprised you're not engaged to some Fire Nation royal asshole" Sokka said filling both of their glasses with Sake. She lifted an eyebrow then her glass.

"Nope" She replied.

"Why not? I mean you're a princess and...y...you're beautiful" He blushed and she smiled.

"I was wolfbatshit crazy…..remeber?" She took a deep drink as he studied her, taking a sip himself.

"No one wants to be engaged to the crazy girl, sure they'll fuck her but not marry….no matter how royal she is" She said laughing sarcastically.

"Well you're not crazy now" He said with a smile.

"Just a little" She said with a smirk.

They both laughed.

"You know they think I don't know this but I am supposed to be the princess of the Northern Water tribe now so I guess it'll be some noble waterbender asshole, I'll be engaged to…. I OK with that….Water Tribesmen are sexy " She giggled. The sake was hitting her,

Sokka looked down at his cup, he had to admit the thought of her being engaged to someone else made him feel angry, it had only been a few days since she'd been back with them in her new state but he couldn't stop thinking about her.

It wasn't like this with Suki, it was gradual and not so intense, never ever this intense…..perhaps intense wasn't the word he wanted to use…..it was deep. It was like this with Yue…...it was fast and deep but this was even deeper somehow…...Yue and he had known each other for a week before she died and they were in love but this….this thing with Azula was so different. This was deeper, almost just more…..more than expected…..more than he thought possible..and it was unexpected and oh so incredible.

"You know I wonder if when you look at me you see my cousin…...we have the same smile….Azulon's smile…..After all I'm all Azulon…...that's what everyone used to say….Azulon was cruel and used fear to control people…..and so did I…..but...I'm done now…..I just want to help baldy save the universe and then I want a family …..hmp….. all Azulon" She said before she pounded back another cup of sake, huffed and fell back on the bed….She looked up groggily

"You're pretty….Sokka of the Water Tribe" She giggled, then she groaned and soon she was snoring softly.

"No….princess…..you are beautiful…..you are incredible and I can't stop myself from falling…." He whispered moving her into a comfortable position and covering her before blowing out the candles and taking his place next to her.

Sleep took them both…..


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6: Love in the time of Dragons

Sokka woke with a start the next morning.

"YOU GOT HER DRUNK?!" Zuko whisper yelled and pulled the blanket off of the two to check that they were still dressed. He picked up an empty sake bottle from the doorway and nodded.

"mmmm ...Zuzu…I'm cold...stop hogging the blanket" She moaned as she rolled into sokka and cuddled in for warmth, digging her face into his neck and wrapping a leg around his waist.

"Mmmm….pretty Sokka" She moaned as Sokka looked at Zuko with wide eyes and held his hands up innocently.

"AZULA!" Zuko pulled his sister off the other man and she sat up. It was just after sunrise and she was annoyed to be woken up so early.

She zapped him with lightning groggily and still half asleep. She got up and pulled the blanket out of his hands before jumping back in the bed, covering herself and going back to sleep.

"We just talked and fell asleep" Sokka said innocently getting out of the bed and missing the way the woman felt in his arms. She smelled incredible, he could still smell her on him.

"Let her sleep" Zuko said waiting for Sokka to exit the room with him.

"Ty Lee is going to help transport the prisoners to the most secure prison in the Earth Kingdom" She'll meet us in Omashu, we'll travel after breakfast" He said handing Sokka a map with the location of the next Phoenix Knight stronghold.

"Hey Sokka, did you brush and feed Appa last night? I completely forgot to take care of him and I found him this morning clean and fed. He even had clean water and breakfast laid out for him" Aang said.

Sokka smiled

"Actually….it was Azula" Sokka said shrugging

"Yeah, she wasn't so nice to the the turtle ducks in our garden because she always said "food can't be pets' but she was always good with our owlcats. Father trained her to take care of her pets but I think her healing made her more in touch with animals." Zuko said.

"Yeah, I think her work with Guru Pathik has helped her connect with nature more. The Guru always advises caring for animals as a way to connect with nature." Ang said as Sokka cackled.

"OH YEAH! NATURE HATES HER!" Sokka continued to laugh but Aang frowned.

"Not anymore Sokka" He said before picking up a cup of tea.

Azula emerged from the room fully dressed a hour later. She quietly picked up a cup of tea and drank deeply.

"Hey Azula, thanks for taking care of Appa last night" Aang smiled at the woman who only nodded.

Azula made her way to the courtyard and did her morning routine. Aang joined her for the meditation as was becoming custom.

Soon they were loading up Appa. Azula fed the bison and apple before she climbed up on him and took her place in the saddle.

"Hey" Sokka said sheepishly. It had been a while since they spoke and he was hoping to be able to be with her for their ride toward Omashu, he was so eager to be near her and connect with her.

"Alright, it'll take us three days which means we have to make camp in two places" Sokka said showing Azula the map.

"Hmmmm….here and here" She said pointing to two locations.

"I agree about the first one but I was thinking here for the second one, there's a river" He said

"That river is polluted, this one has a cave system with a natural aquifer system" She said

"How did you know that?" Sokka asked.

Azula rummaged through the scrolls they'd been reading and handed him one.

"Paragraph two" She said handing him the scroll.

"You're amazing" He said forgetting himself as they both blushed.

Zuko looked back with a scowl. Katara shot him an empathetic look as she too turned away from them. Aang just smiled at the sight of the two.

"You know the story of Omashu right?" Sokka asked as they reviewed maps again, they were pressed against one another again despite the large amount of room at the back of the saddle.

"Two lovers Oma and Shu" She said flatly.

"Yeah, right…..you know a lot" He said scratching his head. His knowledge usually impressed woman but this woman was smarter than him and much better educated and it was a challenge, a challenge he liked.

"I paid attention in school" She said shrugging as she pulled out another scroll she had yet to read.

"Zuuuuuuzuuuuu" She called as her brother huffed and made his way over to her, shoving his way in between her and Sokka.

Pressing himself next to his sister so that Sokka could not come between them.

"Ugh, you're crowding me" She huffed shoving her brother.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"My Zuzu, always so polite" She said sarcastically.

"S..sorry I'm just tired" He said.

"Well it's not my fault you stayed up half the night pounding Ty Lee" She said making Sokka cackle.

"Zuzu there's news of General Rian" She said cautiously.

Zuko looked down at his hands.

"Wait Rian! , he's evil and crazy, he used to rape waterbender women on raids and then murder them. Sometimes he would capture women and keep them….for days just raping them before he killed say your father banished him after he raped a 14 year old girl and left her to die near their camp in the Earth Kingdom. He took the men loyal to him and they have been terrorizing the forests near Omashu ever since. We haven't been able to find them but we get reports about them" Katara said.

"That's not true" Azula said.

"He's not near Omashu?" Katara asked.

"No, the girl was twelve and she was me" Azula said in an even tone. Sokka felt a mix of shock and anger.

"He didn't rape me but he tried to, I got away and my uncle caught me as I was running from him. I've never seen Iroh so angry. He would've killed him if he hadn't shown restraint, he didn't banish him…...Rian escaped, even from father's assassins. Father had first ordered him captured alive so he could torture him to death slowly for trying to defile me but when no one seemed to be able to capture him, father ordered him killed on sight but still no avail.. " She narrowed her eyes thinking of Rian.

"The part about the 14 year old girl is true too, we met her" Katara said somberly,

"she was murdering innocent fire nation men and women, we had to lock her away." She added with eyes downcast.

"Well this scroll says that there is a tunnel system created by smugglers here under this forest area near Omashu, I bet they're in there" Zuko said looking into the distance.

"An intelligence report I read yesterday said that there are over two thousand men in a group near there that mobilized yesterday. They're heading north but a group that size,... there are more than we can handle" Sokka said

"Uuuuuuunless" Azula narrowed her eyes at the map.

"We can wait for them here at the Ping Dong Canyon pass, where General Lau from the Earth kingdom beat an army of 8,000 Fire Nation invaders with a force of just one hundred Earth benders during the battle of Xong, by luring them as far into the pass as they could and creating an avalanche, it was one of our worst defeats ever. We can just wait for them and then just pick them off with a little Earthbending. It's the only way North from their position" She said pointing to a treacherous pass.

"We should be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive to take them into custody" She said looking at Zuko who nodded.

"I'll send word to uncle, they should be there at same time as us" He said as Azula nodded.

Zuko pulled out a hawk whistle he used for his messenger hawk whom he let fly free until it was time for a message. The hawk was never far.

"Calculating the distance from their reported position yesterday to the pass and an army that size, it'll likely take them three days from now to get there, we'll arrive just in time, a little early" Azula added.

To say Sokka was is awe of the princess would have been a gross understatement. He was absolutely taken with her. She was perfect.

They soon arrived at a clearing where they would make camp for the night. Aang bent three tents but Azula taped his shoulder

"Can I have my own please?" she asked and he complied.

"We have an extra blanket" Katara smiled and gave the woman the blanket before Azula climbed into the tent between Aang and Katara's and her brother's.

Sokka was disappointed but realized that she was probably just as confused as he was.

Sleep found them all fast that night though Zuko happily moved over when his sister came to his tent and shoved him over so she could sleep next to him.

"Move over Zuzu" she whispered groggily, her feet were ice. He was glad they each had their own blanket, he didn't need anymore scars and when the icy feet tucked under his leg, he only smiled.

Everyone woke to the sound of splashing. Zuko noted the absence of his sister in his tent.

He walked toward the lake they were camped next to and found his sister in her swimming gear, scrubbing Appa in the water. He could smell the pet soap and he had to admit it was nice, he loved the wind blowing up and carrying the smell as they flew.

Appa had never been so clean as when they had Azula with them. She insisted he be bathed every three days and she brushed him if Aang forgot. She would also be sure to collect apples if there were ever any near.

Sokka wasted no time jumping into the water and joining them. Soon they were all in the water then suddenly, everything went still. Azula and Aang sensed something was off. Azula looked around to find that there were people in the trees.

Soon fire came from the forest. She was up and ready for combat seconds later. She reached back and sent blue lightning bolts shooting into the trees they heard a series of groans and thuds as a man in fire nation garb came out of the tree line

"So it's true, the once great princess Azula has joined her traitor brother" The fire bender was not familiar to Azula.

"What do you want?" She spat.

"There's a price on his head" The man motioned to Zuko.

"We're here to collect" He chucked as more benders came out from the trees.

"No you're not" She said mockingly before cackling out laughter.

"The Brute Brothers" Aang said.

"We caught them last year but they escaped. They have the reputation of never failing to collect a bounty" Katara said as Azula smirked .

"Well they're going to fail today" Azula said as she drew her lightening in circles with two fingers shifting from foot to foot.

She attacked the man but he was surprisingly agile there were twenty Earth and Fire benders, all well trained. Soon the group was being pushed back and soon Azula was forced back hard into the water by a disc of Earth after taking out five of the men with her lightning,

Sokka was able to use his sword and take out a few earth benders.

Suddenly three attacked Zuko at once roughly pinning him and forcing him into the water by encasing his middle in rock and pushing him back into the water.

Azula's eyes wild with fear when her brother didn't come back up. She was frantic as she swam under the water with no avail, she couldn't see her brother and both Aang and Katara were busy with more attacks. She screamed out but no one could hear her.

Tears ran down her face as she realized he was already down for so long. She roared out pulling her chi and suddenly the water in the lake moved up into a high wave violently like a tsunami, washing Zuko ashore with the pull upward. The was was several meters high and it snapped before she sent it backward and it ripped through to the shore across the lake. Everyone turned in shock as Azula ran to her brother not realizing what she'd just done.

Aang quickly freed Zuko from his rock binding and Azula crouched down to find him not breathing while the others continued to fend off the attackers. She began to push his chest, regaining her composure and working meticulously. She cleared her mind and set it on saving her brother, the only thing she had left in the world.

"Zuko….Zuko please" She pleaded as she pushed down in rhythm and he finally spat out water. She clutched his face in her hands before hugging him tightly and holding him.

Suddenly she was hit by a fireball. She pulled herself up fast. Her hair was wild and her eyes filled with fire as she took both hands and filled them with lightning.

She looked at Sokka and he moved out of the way as she proceeded to spew high voltage blue lightning through her mouth and hands. Taking down each man still standing. She walked over to the leader who was cowering and shot him again this time bringing him to the brink of death before a voice broke her concentration

"AZULA NO!" Sokka screamed as she released the man and collapsed into Sokka's arms.

Aang fashioned a rock prison for the fire benders and the rock benders were hog tied and left on an island made by Aang in the middle of the lake.

A magistrate from the town near the lake came to see what the commotion was and told Aang that the group had been terrorizing the area and were happy to take the men prisoner and have them transported to the nearest larger Earth Kingdom prison.

Zuko was awake and fine but Azula was still out cold in Appa's saddle.

Soon they all boarded Appa and were in the air. Zuko brushed hair from his sister's face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Zuko" Katara was gentle.

"Yeah" He said looking at her from his place at his sister's side.

"Zuko…...Azula bent water to save you" She said looking at him as his eyes widened in shock.

"But….how?" He asked looking down at her.

"Aang is in the spirit world now asking for advice" Katara said as they noted Aang was in lotus position with glowing arrows.

"She was incredible. I've never seen anyone bend water like that" Sokka noted as he looked down at her.

"Mmmmm Zu.." she muttered with pain in her face as she turned and zuko laid beside her shushing her.

"It's ok Azula, I'm here" He said resting his head against her shoulder.

"Zu...Zuko" She whispered as her amber eyes opened.

"Yo...you're OK" She said hugging him after they both sat up.

"Yeah, thanks to you" He said softly as she stretched carefully.

"Hey" Sokka said sheepishly as she gave him a big smile. She sat next to Sokka who was looking at the latest intelligence reports that had arrived via messenger hawk. Soon Azula began to shiver, she was still in her swimming gear.

Sokka move in closer to her and she snuggled into him and he put his arm around her.

"Look it's the Turtle duck system" she said pointing to some stars. Aang was still in the spirit world and Katara and Zuko had fallen asleep.

"Oh and the great flying lemur" He said happily pointing to the other stars. She smiled up at him and he leaned down and kissed her.

She was surprised but she deepened the kiss and soon she was on her back with him on top of her as they kissed and touched desperately. It was the most intense pull either of them had ever felt for another person. The kisses were like lightning making them even hungrier for one another.

"Uhhh guys" Aang's voice was shaky as they pulled apart quickly and sat up to look at the Avatar.

"H..hey" Aang said awkwardly. Azula's hair was a mess and her lips were puffy and red from the intensity of she and Sokka's kissing.

"Look, I support your feelings for eachother but I have to wake the others, I have some news from the spirit world" Aang smiled as Azula went to her brother and joined him under the blanket.

"Zuuuuuuuzuuuuu" She whispered as she sent a spark of blue lightning to his butt cheek and giggled as he shot up. She stayed next to her brother as Aang kissed Katara awake.

Soon they were all in a circle and Aang spoke.

"I spoke to the spirit of the first fire sage and he told me that there was an old prophecy of the water dragon, a woman born of the line of fire and water who would be able to bend both and she would be the key to bringing peace to the four nations" Aang looked at Azula as she let out a hard sigh.

"I also spoke to Guru Pathik and he said that the lion turtle they healed Azula on was the water lion turtle and that he'd touched her with the ability to bend water" Aang looked on at the girl.

"Azula…..

"I know already. I just didn't want to believe it" She said.

"I saw the legend painted in the dragon catacombs and I remember the lion turtle's gift when it dropped me off at the shore" She said looking down.

"And I know I'm supposed to be princess in the water tribe" tears were rolling down her cheeks and Zuko put his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong Azula?" He asked gently.

"It's all so much! Water and fire bending, princess of two Kingdoms!….I don't want the throne of anything! Being obsessed with the throne of the Fire Nation drove me insane and now I have to be the princess of the North...it's too much pressure" She was sobbing as her brother held her.

"Shhhh Azula, it's OK you don't have to do anything. You can just abdicate and when you have kids they can take the throne, our uncle Arnook is still in good health and he can rule until then" He said as she nodded and sniffled.

"Your granny says hi and Yue, she said to say hi to both of you" Azula smiled and returned to her conversation with her brother about the pressure she'd felt in the past.

Aang moved close to Sokka and whispered so softly that Sokka could barely hear.

"Yue told me to tell you that 'she will and that it is your destiny to be together'" Sokka's eyes widened as he remembered a conversation he had with the moon the night Azula slept in her own tent.

He asked Yue if Azula could ever love him, because he felt so confused at how much he already felt for her.

"Thank you Aang" Sokka said as she put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Katara you're going to have to help me teach Azula how to bend water" Katara would have been lying if she'd said she wasn't frightened at the prospect of Azula bending fire and water but she trusted Aang and so far azula had surprised them all.

"There's camp" Sokka said happily pointing at a clearing.

Aang got ready to rock bend some tents and looked at Azula who held up three fingers. Sokka blushed when she climbed into the tent he'd claimed.

"I like sleeping next to you" She said matter of factly.

"Me too" He said chuckling nervously.

"Just don't hog the blanket" She said looking up at him as he rolled over to look at her.

They immediately began to kiss and touch, he was careful not to go too far, he just squeezed her breasts and back side while she wrapped her legs around him and kissed him deeply while they both sought sweet friction through their clothing, their hips moving hard and with purpose. They lost themselves in the kisses and soon they found sleep wrapped in eachothers arms.

He woke first noting that she was shivering. He pulled her into a spoon position and pulled the blanket over them.

She turned in his arms and buried her face in his neck as he held her and found sleep again.

He woke on his back with a familiar and delicious scent in his nose, jasmine and orange blossoms. Her hair was fanned out over his chest. As she laid on him, her heart beating against him. She felt so good and so right there. He never wanted her to move.

"Where's my sister" He heard outside as he sighed and woke her gently, kissing her cheeks.

"Mmmm Sokka" She moaned clutching him tightly.

"Zuzu is looking for you" he whispered into her ear she giggled and pulled herself away from him. He held her playfully and she smiled before exiting the hut.

He laid on his back thinking of how lucky he was to find a woman he connected with so deeply. He was grateful to Suki for leaving him when she did because he was ready for Azula at just the right time.

"Really Zuzu, I don't think you want a lightning scar on your good ass cheek" She said as he questioned where she slept that night.

"Look, Sokka and I like each other, we're adults, let us explore it" She said as Zuko muttered angrily.

"Look Azula, if that doesn't work out, you have to promise me that you'll come home, not run away" he said looking her in the eye.

"I….I promise" She said smiling at her brother.

We're camping here tonight too, Appa needs rest" Aang said as Azula began her morning ritual in a nearby clearing.

Soon Aang and Azula were walking back from the clearing after meditation.

"It's time to find the aquifers" Azula said as Aang nodded.

They made their way through a cave, Aang made easy work of Earth bending them into the middle of a beautiful cave, there was a crystalline pool with clear blue water. It was fresh and tasted delicious.

"Azula" Katara called eyeing the girl who'd pulled out a large water skin so she could fill Appa's water bucket.

"Yeah" She responded as she was trying to submerge the skin and became frustrated

"Just bend the water" She said eyeing the woman who nodded and calmed herself with a deep breath.

"Pull in the energy of the water and let it flow through you" katara advised.

She moved her hand up bending a large amount of water over them.

"WOW, AZULA THAT'S INCREDIBLE!" Katara was in awe at the raw power the woman held. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was also very afraid. Azula blood bending could have fatal results.

Azula proceeded to walk the huge water ball to Appa's bucket and drop it carefully as the bison licked her in gratitude.

"There you go furball, some delicious water from the aquifer" She scratched his cheek and went back inside.

"Hi" Sokka said pulling her into a remote inlet in the cave. The two immediately began to make out, heavily. He pressed her against the wall and lifted her so their crotches were pressed together in delicious friction. He thrust into her rhythmically as their lips crashed together. He was going crazy noting that the only thing that kept them from connecting was the material of their clothing and they both wanted more.

"Mmmm Sokka I want more" She moaned pulling at the ties of his pants. He kissed her harder and pulled down her top.

Aang and Zuko studied the maps and began to mark where they would need hide and wait for General Rian.

"

"Azula" Zuko called when he noted he hadn't seen his sister for a while.

"She emerged from another cave, her hair was a mess and her lips were swollen and red and she was adjusting her top.

Zuko rolled his eyes as Sokka also entered with red puffy lips, adjusting his pants. Sadly the two were only able to fondle one another before Zuko interrupted.

"Azula, how are we going to execute the plan?'

"We'll wait at the cliff in the middle of the pass. We want to draw them in so they can't retreat, though that's not likely. One thing about our friend the general is that he's brash under pressure so he'll attack in full force" She was sure of her plan as he others nodded.

" We should collect the water we need and get back out to camp.

"Can we camp in here?" Asked Zuko.

" I don't like being underground" Azula said making her way to the exit.

"She's right, plus Appa is alone" Aang said following Azula.

Se was unpacking the noodles and cooking equipment for dinner when Sokka came to her and stammered

"A….Az...um" She looked at him strangely

"Well, what is it?" She huffed

"Azulawillyoubemygirlfriend?" He rushed through the words nervously

"Yes, I would like that" She said smiling before she was attacked with kisses. She laughed and pushed her new boyfriend off playfully.

"I..Zuko knows ..I asked him if I could do this" He said shyly as she smiled imagining what Zuko's face must have looked like when he'd asked.

Suddenly Azula shot up.

"Someone's coming" She said yelling for her brother. She approached the treeline ready for a fight.


End file.
